UPFRONTBEATS

Fast-rising Italian DJ and producer Bar.ba teams up with Odagled and lands at Renaissance with Festival’

Collaborations are a wonderful thing when they go well and the creative spark ignites. In the case of Festival props are due to Pablo Bolivar’s Seven Villas because Bar.ba and Odagled connected thanks to a chance meeting through a compilation on the label. ‘We quickly realised there was mutual respect,’ explains Bar.ba, ‘we have a similar appreciation of what we like, so the decision to take the next step and do something together came very easily.’

After laying down an initial sketch at his studio in Spain, Odageld sent the track over to Bar.ba in Bergamo to sprinkle it with his production magic. The result is a record with rare qualities – infectious without being obvious and wholly unique in its refusal to conform to a specific genre.

As ever with Renaissance, they were keen to expand the track into an EP, so it seemed appropriate to invite Sasha Carassi to handle remix duties, what with his credentials as a fellow Italian and past (and continuing) member of the label family. His mix further confirms why he’s one of the hottest properties in dance right now; few can boast releases on Bedrock and Knee Deep in Sound on their 2022 discography already. ‘Soon as I heard the original I knew I could do something with ‘Festival”, he says, ‘I couldn’t wait to get to grips with it and take it up a gear.’

The EP rounds out with Bar.ba’s own breakbeat take on proceedings. Titled the ‘Electric Strange Mix’, it aptly confirms the tracks leftfield credentials. ‘Renaissance requested this alternate mix and I’m really pleased they did,’ he admits, ‘after playing around for a while it came together well. I’m delighted with the way it turned out.’

Credited - For The Record