In Gabriella Bongo and Alexander Mills' new track 'Someone Else', the pair set a dreamlike scene. The steady kick drum prepares you for the high-energy drum and bass of Gabriella's production as the synths twinkle and vocals rise throughout the introduction. Reaching the first chorus with soulful energy, Gabriella triggers an earthquake of sound, the emotive melodies joined by a frenzied break, the crack of snares, the fast-paced percussive break and that all-powerful kick drum rocketing into the stratosphere. The bass line furiously rises from the depth of the mix, whilst a screaming lead synth counters the vocals. As the strings are introduced the pure cinema of the arrangement is put in full effect, the percussion steadying its hand and the choir ensemble gripping the audience. A mix of pure danceability and gripping, captivating compositional ability, a titan of a track.
Gabriella further shares, “I wrote the song when I was 16 and was still writing alone in my bedroom at this point. I knew that I wanted it to be a super dramatic and epic song but still also be drum and bass. I then began the tedious task of finding a vocalist - someone good enough and also willing to take their chance on me. One of my favourite ways to do this is to go on YouTube and find vocalists who were doing covers of artists I had in mind for the song. I then came across Alexander Mills and honestly really was taken aback by the amount of emotion he was able to portray in his singing. I hit him up on Instagram and he was quite receptive and so I sent him the demo and when I heard it back I was so pleased with how it came out. I don’t think there could’ve been anyone better suited. It didn’t matter that he was based in Australia and I was in the UK - we fostered a great working relationship and I am so grateful he believed in me.”
A South London songwriter and producer, Gabriella Bongo has gone from strength to strength across her career. Getting into production as young as nine, the path of making music eventually led her to join Apple’s Creative Studio London programme, get interviewed by BBC News and Reprezent Radio and release with a Universal and Young Urban Arts Foundation.
Recently announced as a Hospital Records official women in drum and bass mentee and garnering a mixing feature on Radio 1, Gabriella continues to rise.
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