DJ and producer Bell Towers leans into '80s synth pop on “Want you (Need You)”

“Want You (Need You)” is an '80s synth pop ballad that's as industrial as it is charming, marking the first chapter in Australian producer Bell Towers' stylistic shift. The sharp basslines and inquisitive melodies set the scene of a dancefloor in anticipation until the Neil Tennant-esque vocals kick in, providing the necessary release in tension.

His new vocal-heavy sound is just part of what marks out 2020 as a year of change for Bell Towers. Having built his career releasing 12” club singles in his native Melbourne, co-founding the Bamboo Musik club night, and with a residency on NTS, “Want You (Need You)” is the perfect indication of Bell Towers' development as an artist.

His new pop-leaning sound is characterised by a new collaborative partnership between his long-time label, Munich’s Public Possession, and New York-based imprint Cascine. “After nearly nine years of making club records, I felt like the time was right to evolve my sound into making pop records about the club,” Bell Towers says.

Junior Mix is due for release next month, and he describes it as an “ode to escaping into (and out of) the emotional pits of dance floors, about finding a place in one night’s fantasy.” With a discography that's already stacked, Bell Towers is continuing to produce beats that move you and melodies that stay with you.