REAPER steamrolls through feelings of despair on his latest drum & bass single “IMY,” featuring vocalist Bella Renee, serving as his fourth appearance on Bassrush Records.
As one of the most buzzing names bursting of the Stateside drum & bass scene, the masked maverick known as REAPER has made himself synonymous with gritty, galvanizing jump up.
Historically, his sinister blend of tear-out D&B has never veered off from the dark and heavy variety, but the mysterious producer is about to tap into a sentimental side—although doing so would only ever be possible on his own terms.
With his latest offering, the tone is slightly shifting as he peppers in a touch of melody and emotion with the help of an impassioned appearance from the rising vocal talent of Arizona’s Bella Renee.
Bleeding into a more vulnerable space than what is customary for the battle-hardened warrior, “IMY” employs a sense of yearning without losing any ground on the aggressive front.
Renee spills her heart with a buttery but quick-tongued topline, with her lush tones acknowledging the sting that loneliness can bring following a broken relationship. REAPER props up her confession with reverberated guitar riffs and mercurial melodies, and then abruptly proceeds to let the inner rage get a handle on the situation.
His signature blend of distorted synth slams, hostile bass blitzes and uncanny vigor fill every square inch of the void, leaving nothing left but an overwhelming urge to put those stubborn bouts of solitude back in their place.
“‘IMY’ is the intersection of some of my favorite elements of dance music,” says REAPER. “The angelic vocals that lead into heavy, churning basslines perfectly describes the resilient attitude of the song. I’ve always been impressed that Bassrush seeks out and shares drum & bass, and I’m excited that they will be expanding their dnb palette with the release of ‘IMY.’ Can’t wait to bring some dnb flavor to some Bssrush events soon!”
In the span of roughly a year-and-a-half, REAPER has burned through four scorching singles for the Bassrush crew alone. In between this and the frontal assault made on his most recent release “Make a Move,” he squeezed in trash-and-bash take on Nitepunk’s “Miracle” for HARD Recs.
His presence on the Insomniac Music Group catalogs is impossible to ignore, and the string of singles he’s broken off so far are going to be staples in his sets throughout the rest of the year. Throughout the summer, he’ll be on the road with tour dates stacked alongside Kayzo, as well as a busy festival schedule leading up to his performance at Nocturnal Wonderland.
Anyone who is struggling to shake off lingering feelings of loneliness, REAPER’s “IMY” proves there’s no better medicine than a heavy-hitting drum & bass record to turn your mood around.
