The legendary electronic band, NERO, has just dropped their first original remix in over two years. Together, members Joseph Ray and Daniel Stephens have put a heavy trap twist on “No Rival!”, Ray’s track with the Haitian outfit Lakou Mizik.
Ray and Stephens have never resigned themselves to musical expectations. Many may refer to NERO as a dubstep group, but fans know their music is so much more than that. Their original works span the territory of arena rock, house music, electro, even moments of singer-songwriter with the help of their resident vocalist, Alana Watson.
This remix comes after Ray produced an entire album with Lakou Mizik entitled Leave the Bones. He was inspired by the group after traveling to Haiti in 2010 to teach a music production course at The Artist’s Institute following the devastating earthquake.
After hearing Lakou Mizik at a beachside club, Ray decided to contribute to the Rasin movement, where traditional Haitian music known as Vodou was combined with modern instrumentation.
The original Rasin movement began in the 1970s. However, with Ray contributing in the 2010’s and 2020’s, modern instrumentation is now geared towards electronic music. The official remix from NERO leans into the electronic even further, but maintains the true Haitian spirit.
Listen to “No Rival! (NERO Remix)” from Lakou Mizik and Joseph Ray in full below:
