Welsh drum and bass producer Lincoln Barrett, best know in the scene as High Contrast, has teamed up with Sub Focus and Wilkinson for a fresh new remix of ‘Freedom‘. The track first appeared on the powerful duo’s collaborative album Portals that came out on 9 October 2020 via Virgin EMI Records, and was promoted with an exclusive back-to-back DJ set at Corfe Castle. Featuring fitting vocals by the Irish singer-songwriter Emara Mi, the single perfectly reflected the gentle melodies, imaginative instrumentation and atmospheric feel of the entire record.
Fresh off releasing his latest album Notes From The Underground a month ago, High Contrast’s remix turns the heat up and adds extra power to the main drum’n’bass elements of the track. Maintaining the original melodies and gentle tones of the single, it subtly replaces parts of the instrumentation with more conventional electronic tropes, resulting in a more energetic and upbeat club hit. The Sub Focus & Wilkinson VS High Contrast Remix of ‘Freedom‘ was released earlier today, 8 January, and is available to listen and download on all major streaming platforms here.
The @subfocus @WilkinsonUK VS High Contrast remix of Freedom is out now! Listen in full here https://t.co/XPB4K5Jaa2 pic.twitter.com/nraRkNEYmd
— High Contrast (@HighContrast) January 8, 2021
Barrett has been active for more than 20 years, using his widely recognised artistic nickname High Contrast since 2000 when he also signed for Hospital Records. As the renowned London-based independent label describes him, he “needs no introduction any more” since “the Welsh wonder has smashed his way through the D+B scene and has become one of its iconic and much respected heroes“. A leading name in the UK electronic scene, High Contrast has released seven studio albums and 2 EPs, and has taken parts in various remix collaborations and compilations, including the Isles of Wonder, the official soundtrack of the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The Welsh DJ dropped his latest record Notes From The Underground on 4 December 2020 via 3 Beat Production where he signed back in 2016 for his previous album Night Gallery. Yet another strong release with powerful guests and somewhat oldschool approach, the album features 14 tracks that seemlessly blend contemporary electronic music, liquid funk and jungle beats. Notes From The Underground is still relatively fresh, but has already seen positive reviews from fans and critics, with DJ Mag commenting on the album that “sees him draw on sounds and techniques from the modern d&b scene’s junglist roots” while The Arts Desk calls it “a deep, elegaic and occasionally beautiful listen“.
Today’s the day, Notes From The Underground is finally out! Stream/buy/download from here https://t.co/AgxryObloc So glad the beast 2020 didn’t eat this release. Hope you enjoy this trip through the digital jungle pic.twitter.com/eYypX3mpFD — High Contrast (@HighContrast) December 4, 2020
‘Freedom‘ is the fourt track from Portals, the critically acclaimed recent team-up between the genre titans Sub Focus and Wilkinson. Released on 9 October 2020, the album was the successful result of the two DJs’ isolated collaborative work at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in the inspiring rural surroundings of Bath.
The record featured the huge singles ‘Illuminate‘, ‘Just Hold On‘, ‘Air I Breathe‘ and ‘Turn The Lights Off‘ and managed to reach #68 in the Official Albums Chart while naturally topping the UK Dance Albums Charts. ‘Freedom‘ is the fifth official single from Portals, released today alongside High Contrast’s fresh remix of the track.
