The end of 2022 saw New Zealand based drum & bass artist Ruebik drop ‘Ashes’ ft. Michele Ducray on the imperative Dutch imprint High Tea Music. After its success and flurry of mainstream dance music support, he returns for the New Year with a brand new single. Dropping on his own self-release platform, he now calls on vocalist MR.0600 for his forthcoming record ‘Past Life’, which is an ode to the dancefloor signature he’s coined since breaking through within the drum & bass hotbed of New Zealand. Now introducing his music across Europe too, he capitalises on the success of ‘Ashes’ and demonstrates why Toocut and George FM have thrown their weight behind his releases over the past three years.
Originally from South Africa, Ruebik has paved a career for himself, with DJ support including names such as Bou, Ben Snow, Terrence & Phillip, Millbrook, Just a Gent, Mt Eden, Blaine Stranger, Gray, Kelvin 373, and Crossy. His background as a heavy metal drummer (winning Battle of the Bands in this capacity) streams through his releases, with ‘Past Life’ being no exception. Leading with steppy bass pads before the track’s synthesis begins to rattle its structure, crunching drum breaks as well as the mutated vocals of MR.0600 drop into distorted LFOs. A blending of dark and light elements which nods to Ruebik’s sonic diversity.
With a groove lending itself to the dancefloor, and a power which has the ability to shake speaker stacks, ‘Past Life’ sees Ruebik continue to explore his sound. Including a vocal call to arms from MR.0600, the collaboration sees Ruebik push forward on his production journey, taking up even more space with his club-orientated signature.
