NYC native Westend fuses talents with British electropop songstress Darla Jade on a tech house- and indie dance-laced house single, a vocal-led track celebrating sounds from the early 2000s progressive house scene.
New York City’s Westend and British vocalist Darla Jade join forces on “Lighter,” a progressive house single out October 3rd via Insomniac Records. The track finds common ground between Westend’s refined, club-tested house sound and Jade’s emotive electropop sensibilities, resulting in a release that bridges the past and present of dance music culture.
“Lighter” channels the euphoria of early-2000s progressive house anthems while carrying the modern polish of today’s dancefloor. Darla Jade’s ethereal topline hovers between fragility and fire, a siren call that reflects the duality of passion that’s weightless yet consuming. Her vocals are set against looping synth ostinatos and circling piano chords, expanding into sweeping pads and oscillating textures that resolve into a pulse recalling indie dance. The production balances nostalgia and forward-thinking sound design, pairing the emotional weight of progressive house with rhythmic detail from Westend’s tech-driven toolkit.
Shedding light on the goldmine of inspiration stemming from the early aughts electronic music that he nods to via his new single, Westend shares: “‘Lighter’ was born out of me chasing the same feeling I had when I was 17 and first falling in love with electronic music. Artists like deadmau5, Kaskade, and Avicii shaped my earliest connection to the scene. I’ll never forget coming home from Electric Zoo in 2011 and putting ‘I Remember’ on repeat until the sun came up. The track began with a chord progression inspired by that era of progressive house. From there, I built something that blended that progressive house magic with a more modern tech house and indie dance sound. Collaborating with Darla Jade brought the record to life. Her voice and lyrics elevated ‘Lighter’ into something I immediately knew was special. For me, this is the most meaningful record I have ever written. It represents both a return to my roots and a step forward creatively. I’m proud of it in every way and incredibly excited to share it with the world.”
England’s electropop songstress Darla Jade illuminates the deeper meaning behind the lyrics, saying, “‘Lighter’ was a song that came together quite naturally, I co-wrote it with Melissa De Kleine and Adaptive productions last year. The name ‘Lighter’ comes from a paradox of love and desire—about how it can spark a fire within you but also make you feel weightless and free.”
For Westend, the single represents a creative evolution built on a decade of momentum. The NYC-bred artist has carved out his place as one of America’s leading house figures, steadily shaping the sound of modern tech house while remaining rooted in New York’s DIY rave ethos. Since 2020, his run on Insomniac Records has yielded five singles and an EP, supported across global airwaves by Capital Dance, Kiss FM UK, SiriusXM, Triple J, and Radio 538, to name but a few.
His work has drawn consistent support from some of the genre’s most in-demand names, including John Summit, Fisher, Dom Dolla, Chris Lake, Gorgon City, Diplo, Tiësto, Adam Beyer, Claptone, Alesso, and Kevin de Vries. Following a sold-out U.S. tour this year with marquee stops in Los Angeles, Denver, San Diego, Chicago, and New York, as well as festival appearances at Splash House, he is set to headline Austin’s Concourse Project.
Darla Jade arrives as a dynamic counterpart, her voice a natural fit for dance music’s more melodic shades. The Stoke-on-Trent singer-songwriter has collaborated with Andrew Rayel, BLOND:ISH, Francis Mercier, and Ferry Corsten, with her solo work finding placements on ‘Love Island’ and support across BBC Radio 1’s ‘Future Pop’ and ‘BBC Introducing Track of the Week.’ Beyond her own projects, she has lent writing credits to acts including Kaskade and Gorgon City, positioning her as one of the UK’s most versatile rising artists.
Together, Westend and Darla Jade deliver a single that underscores Insomniac Records’ continued role as a home for forward-thinking dance music. “Lighter” is both a nod to the golden era of progressive house and a reflection of how today’s artists reinterpret that legacy with new textures, rhythms, and emotional range.
Westend has emerged as one of house music’s most promising artists. The New York native’s ever-expanding sonic footprint was instrumental in drafting the blueprint for the sound of modern tech house and helped usher in an era that has seen American artists once again push to the forefront of dance music culture. Westend’s creativity is constantly expanding. His label launched late in 2023 and he embarked on his first solo headline tour.
His remarkable journey from throwing micro-raves for New York high schoolers to headlining festival stages exemplifies how the DIY spirit of dance music continues to permeate the culture. 2025 has been nothing but dominant from Westend. His most recent tour featured all sold out shows in marquee markets like Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, New York and San Diego. His latest tracks have landed him on the cover of Spotify’s Housewerk playlist eclipsing more than 3 millions streams.
Westend and Darla Jade’s new single “Lighter” is available on all platforms via Insomniac Records.
UFO Network brings you music news daily! See more news here
Listen on Spotify
Connect with Westend
