Heard It Here First

If borne isn’t on your radar yet, he needs to be. This Montreal–based producer has been steadily popping up in the bass scene over the past year or two, and his hard work and talent are finally starting to show. He’s already teamed up with bass music heavyweights Taiki Nulight and Peekaboo for collaborations, and is beginning to land on some of the scene’s most serious stages, including an opening set for Peekaboo at The Caverns earlier this year.

His newest release, “Hold Me Down” drops on the Insomniac-backed NIGHTMODE label—the same imprint that brought us Knock2’s super-hit “Dashstar.”  borne has already released several tracks on NIGHTMODE, including his collaboration “Hush” with Alexis B. Beyond NIGHTMODE, he’s put out music on Polydor Records, Steve Aoki‘s Dim Mak, and even the legendary UKF Records, further cementing his growing reputation in the bass music world.

Earlier this year, he released a twenty-two-minute showcase on SoundCloud that was jam-packed with IDs and collabs.  That mix has already amassed over 50,000 streams on Soundcloud, with fans in the comments begging for tracks to release ASAP! This was the second installment of his “OFF-THE-RECORD” showcase mixes, of which the first also went crazy, circulating online. This kind of momentum makes it easy to see why he’s landed a spot on several DEF lineups this year—and why rumors are spinning that he’ll be playing their stage at Hulaween this fall.

“Hold Me Down” opens with reverb-soaked pads and distant vocal chops that create a haunting, dark atmosphere before everything snaps into focus. For the drop, half-step drums and wubs propel the track forward with a classic grime-influenced swing. You’ve just got to hear it to get it.  This is a track that will almost certainly be played out by heavy hitters in the scene.  borne has carved his own sound in the Deep Dubstep genre, balancing deep rumbling bass with just enough melodic bite to stand out from the crowd.

Whether you’re digging into his recent showcase or gearing up to catch him on a DEF Global stage this fall, borne’s rise feels inevitable. “Hold Me Down” is sure to be a highlight of summer bass sets and late-night listening sessions alike. Stream it now via NIGHTMODE and consider this your official introduction to one of North America’s most promising bass producers, because he’s only getting started.  Let us know in the comments what you think of this one from borne, and if there are any artists you want to see borne collaborate with next!

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