2023 seems to be the year of breaking the mold. That couldn’t be more true with the release of this new collaboration “Twisted” from Hardwell and Will Sparks. If a collaboration from these two came out 5-7 years back, it would most likely sounded like a mix of synth-blaring big room house with the rubber-band beat and bass line of a Melbourne bounce tune. But in current year, both of these artist’s are in very different places.
For one, Hardwell took a massive break from touring and signaled his return with his sophomore album. Since then, he’s dropped a few new singles and remixes and even a Dance Dance Revolution inspired track. Meanwhile, Will Sparks has ventured into sub-genres that have taken him beyond Melbourne’s scene. We’re talking some psytrance, hardstyle, and festival-style house. But where these two intersect is in the growing sound of main-stage techno and that is where “Twisted” comes into play.
For old-school ravers, they might be reminded of 2007 classic “Your Mind is Twisted” hook from Greg, Jeroenski, and Roog. The song had such a grip in the early 2010s that even Fedde Le Grand couldn’t help adding his own spin on it in 2014. But unlike the original’s glitchy, electro-house grit, Hardwell and Will Sparks concoct a modern techno avalanche. The drum beat is cacophonous and met with these tactile synths. As they meet up with the hi-hats, “Twisted” becomes a bellowing beast that becomes a perfect fit for rage-ready audiences.
Make sure to check out “Twisted” by Hardwell and Will Sparks on Revealed Records out now.
