Two icons of their respective scenes have linked up for a highly anticipated collaboration, as Grammy-nominated house artist Chris Lake and UK garage frontrunner Sammy Virji have released their new single, “Summertime Blues” featuring Nathan Nicholson, via Lake’s own Black Book Records in partnership with Astralwerks.
As the track’s poignant lyrics, “Memories are useless, I’ve gotta let ’em go,” suggest, “Summertime Blues” is all about letting go—on the dancefloor, in the car, or wherever listeners may be grooving to the surefire summertime anthem.
Nicholson’s catchy but subdued vocals are a mere red herring for the explosion of euphoria that arrives just under one minute into the track, thanks to a beat drop that wonderfully marries Lake’s famously crisp tech house hi-hats and Virji’s deeply groovy basslines.
Tight vocal chops, heavy swing, and shuffled rhythms throughout “Summertime Blues” give Nicholson’s previously pensive vocal melodies a new feel, as the track thrice cascades through a roller coaster of tension and release. By its end, any feelings of “summertime blues” are certainly gone for good.
“I’m so happy I got to work on this track with Sammy and Nathan,” Lake said in a press release. “I’ve loved their music and vibes for a while. I’m super proud of how ‘Summertime Blues’ turned out. We wanted a drop that felt like the warmth of sunshine and that’s how it makes me feel.”
“Really excited to get ‘Summertime Blues’ out there, was great to work with Chris and Nathan on the single – so gassed for everyone to hear how it turned out,” Virji added ahead of the track’s launch on April 26.
Lake and Virji premiered “Summertime Blues” during Virji’s sold-out gig at Sound LA in February, and it quickly became a fan-favorite ID. Now an official release, fans can expect the track to remain a staple in the sun-kissed months to come.
Listen to Chris Lake and Sammy Virji’s “Summertime Blues” ft. Nathan Nicholson below.
Featured image credit: Corey Wilson / Mark Shields.
