Both at the top of their game in their respective electronic dance music endeavors, trance icon Armin van Buuren and U.K. house heavyweight D.O.D just dropped their first-ever linkup: “By Now” featuring Laura Welsh. Born from a mutual admiration for each other’s artistic output and a shared desire to explore each other’s sound, this collaboration sees two worlds collide to substantiate the strengths and global appeal of both genres.
Combining Armin van Buuren’s unmistakable trance melodies, D.O.D’s signature house drums and Laura Welsh’s soft-spoken, emotionally charged vocals, ‘By Now’ bears all the hallmarks of a current-sounding U.K. house track with a modern trance twist, coming off the back of a great start to 2024 for both artists. D.O.D’s summer 2023 UK Top 20 hit ‘So Much In Love’ was recently awarded BRIT Certified Gold status, and his forthcoming tour will see him appear at Parklife in Manchester and 528 in Ibiza for BBC Radio 1 Dance: Ibiza, plus many more. Meanwhile, Armin van Buuren is still riding high with ‘Breathe In’, his ninth studio album, and recent single ‘What Took You So Long’ (with Gryffin), both of which saw him go back to his musical roots. ‘By Now’ serves as the perfect continuation of a series of impressive career peaks for both artists so far this year.
On the inspiration for the collab, Armin van Buuren said, “I’ve been feeling the pull of the U.K. house sound for a while now and have such admiration for it; it’s similar to the sound that influenced and inspired me back in the day. I love the music Dan (D.O.D) has been putting out over the years — ‘So Much In Love’ is a banger of a track, which I even got to remix — and am beyond excited to have been able to collaborate with him on ‘By Now’. It shows there are no boundaries when it comes to genres. Super excited that this one is out today!”
“I’ve been testing trance ideas in the studio a lot lately…that sound is huge over in the U.K. at the moment. And who better to consult on a trance track than the legend that is Armin van Buuren,” added D.O.D. “But I didn’t ever think a collab would be on the cards! So proud of how this turned out, it’s always a pleasure to work with such talented songwriters like Laura Welsh whose vocal really makes the track. I’m buzzing to see how our fans will react to the blend of genres.”
Listen to this legendary release on your favorite platform here.
