One of EDM’s biggest treasures…
The art of collaboration is a seriously complex dynamic. You need to be able to listen, respond, compromise and back your vision like your life depends on it. It’s a frightening task, and it has the potential to sour even the strongest of creative bonds. But if there was ever an act that makes it look easier than falling into a Disclosure YouTube rabbit-hole it’s, well, Disclosure! It’s pretty much second nature to UK brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence, the Grammy-nominated maestros proving time and time again that they’re proper masters of the collaboration, pulling out the best of the artists they work with while bringing that classic Disclosure fire that’s helped propel them to the forefront of EDM over the past couple of years.
Their latest album Energy, which is out today (Happy release day you beauties) is Disclosure continuing to do what they do best: Traversing across genres to create sonic artworks with world-class artists. From linking up with artists such as Channel Tres, Mick Jenkins, Syd and Kehlani, Disclosure have come through with a serious triumph in Energy, the album truly solidifying their GOAT status as not only a kick-ass EDM act but as dream-collaborators as well.
With that in mind, we thought we’d take a little trip down memory lane and revisit our favourite Disclosure collabs from over the years (narrowing it down to just seven was almost impossible I’m not gonna front).
Check it below.
Disclosure – ‘Latch’ ft. Sam Smith
Alright, let’s just get the obvious one out of the way. What Disclosure and pop sensation Sam Smith achieved with ‘Latch’ was absolutely monumental. A tune that definitely set the stage for the two British acts to go onto dominate their respective fields, the groove-laden pop/ EDM smash embodied everything the world adores about the pair. Featuring Sam’s out-of-this-world vocals and Disclosures transcendent production that struck the perfect balance between commercial and niche, the tune lit up the stratosphere with enough euphoria and fulfilment to blast a whole in the musical soundscape.
Disclosure – ‘White Noise’ ft. AlunaGeorge
Another Settle classic, it’s fair to say ‘White Noise’ has aged straight-up beautifully in the EDM world. And let’s be real, AlunaGeorge is an EDM act’s dream vocalist. Just ask Tchami, Kaytranada, Flume, do I need to keep going? And what Disclosure did with her in 2013 was the epitome of cool. Those beautiful, gorgeous geniuses captured that smoky badassery that’s inherent to Aluna and placed it atop the most unique of beats. Like little synth embers coming together to form a bridge over a lake of drums, the track takes the word “ethereal” to a totally new level. I’ll forever be scratching my head over how Disclosure and Aluna pulled that bad boy off.
Disclosure – ‘Magnets’ ft. Lorde
Lorde is without a doubt one of the most eclectic and trailblazing artists of the 2010s, and even at 19 she was already making waves with her beautiful, uncompromising creations. Then enter Disclosure, hot off 2013’s Settle and helping to bring EDM back to the forefront with undeniable momentum. The two were absolutely firing on all cylinders in their respective careers, so of course a collaboration between them would be of epic proportions. Clocking in at 92 BPM, ‘Magnets’ is definitely one of the more held back, refined tracks from the Disclosure boys. The gem deliciously indulges in the Kiwi songstress’s rich tone, all the while perfectly matched by those euphoria-inducing synth patterns and drums that they’ve become renowned for. Definitely a collaboration that’s aged like the finest of wines, we can’t recommend it enough.
Khalid – ‘Talk’ ft. Disclosure
Another goodie that takes it nice and easy, Khalid made one of the greatest moves of his career by linking up with Disclosure last year. Crafting a minimalist, bouncy beat that wraps around the El Paso singer’s vocals with killer precision, Disclosure once again crafted an utter pop-smash while incorporating all of the intricacies and vibrance that goes hand-in-hand with their EDM artistry. A hit that lit up the world from the moment it was released, ‘Talk’ is proof that Disclosure haven’t lost any of that secret sauce that defined their early works, they’ve just refined the recipe.
Disclosure – ‘Holding On’ ft. Gregory Porter
A personal favourite, Disclosure crafted a straight up heater impossible not to shake your body to with ‘Holding On’. The boys took those glorious vocal cords of British jazz-wizard Gregory Porter and surrounded it with some beautifully decadent production of gold standard. The quality of the arrangement is so stellar that it more than compliments the immeasurable soul inherent to Porter’s vocals, while enabling it to light up the cosmos all on its own. And of course those classic Disclosure chord progressions just elevate the song to a totally other level, driving it forward like a UFO crashing into a jazz matinee in New York city.
Disclosure – ‘You & Me’ ft. Eliza Dolittle
The song that led to that monumental Flume remix, it’s more than fair to say that the OG tune doesn’t get nearly enough credit. Featuring a mad UK Garage two-step beneath some glowing Disclosure synths, the stage was more than set for UK songstress Elzia Doolittle to kill it with those soulful af vocals. Of course, the song is some kick-ass UKG and is totally unique in its own right, but at the same time feels easily accessible and has widespread appeal, a dichotomy the Disclosure boys are obviously masters of.
Disclosure – ‘Douha (Mali Mali)’ ft. Fatoumata Diawara
One of the last singles before the drop of Energy, Disclosure came through with that classic air of good vibes by reuniting with ‘Ultimatum’ collaborator Fatoumata Diawara, the banger a joyful celebration of Fatouma’s birthplace of Mali. First teasing the song in their April Isolation Boiler Room, it’s safe to say the Disclosure fandom was absolutely entranced from the get-go, with the comment section blowing up with requests for the boys to put it out. Of course they obliged, and it’s been pure heaven ever since. It’s one of those tracks that instantly takes you back to those glorious dance floors and mosh pits we miss ever-so dearly, and you just know that the day we get to see the track live it’s gonna be one of the standout moments of Disclosure’s set (which is an insane feat, I mean they’ve got enough bangers for everyday of the year).
Well, I hope you enjoyed those! It’s more than fair to say Disclosure is one of the most important EDM acts of our time, and what those crazy-talented brothers did throughout the 2010s was straight-up incredible. Being able to build upon the foundations set by the pioneers of the ’80s and 90’s and take it to new and exciting heights (all the while paying tribute in the most respectful of ways of course), the boys have curated a discography that will definitely stand the test of time. If there’s anything to take away from this, it’s that the boys have quite the knack for churning out killer-tunes, as well as bringing out the absolute best quality of artistry from their collaborators. And trust me, Energy just continues that trend and then some. Be sure to buy/ stream it here.
