Westend taps into nostalgia without getting stuck there on his new single ‘Lighter.’ Out October 3 via Insomniac Records, the track finds the New York producer marrying early-2000s progressive house euphoria with slick, modern dancefloor detail. It pairs Westend’s club honed production: looping synth ostinatos, swelling pads and piano motifs, with Darla Jade’s airy, emotive topline, resulting in a song that sounds both anthemic and intimate.
Built from a chord progression that nods to the era that first hooked him, Westend displays that fondness for big room emotion inside a tighter, tech house leaning arrangement. A kind of hybrid that’s become his signature since breaking through on tastemaker labels.
“‘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.“
Darla Jade’s contribution elevates the single. The Stoke-on-Trent singer-songwriter has earned BBC Radio 1 support and found high profile collaborations with producers like Kaskade and Gorgon City. Her melodic sensibility helps steer ‘Lighter’ toward pop-tinged indie dance territory without sacrificing club potency.
Westend’s live momentum has matched the pace of his studio work. After launching his label, Trace Amounts, in late 2023 and completing his first solo headline tour, the New York native has spent 2025 turning hype into box office proof. This year alone, he sold out shows in marquee markets like Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, New York and San Diego. With recent releases landing him on the cover of Spotify’s noteworthy Housewerk playlist, Westend’s tour schedule has become a showcase for a rapidly rising artist who’s built a movement as much as a catalog.
Whether you prefer the rush of classic progressive house or the grit of modern tech house, ‘Lighter’ lands in a sweet spot: nostalgic in feeling, contemporary in execution. It’s yet another strong moment for Westend’s discography and a prominent new spotlight for Darla Jade as she continues to cross from UK electropop into the broader dance world. ‘Lighter’ is available on all major platforms October 3.
