Setting Sun by Metrik

Metrik returns to Hospital Records with Setting Sun, a radiant single that signals a bold new era for the London-based producer, vocalist and DJ. The track serves as a preview of his forthcoming fourth studio album, Awake, a project five years in the making and the most ambitious of his career. It captures everything that defines Metrik at his best: emotional depth, precision engineering and a sound that bridges the human and the digital.

Setting Sun opens with shimmering synths that recall the cyber-aesthetic of the early 2000s, before launching into a soaring melody powered by Metrik’s own vocals. The songwriting takes centre stage, with harmonies and textures that feel both nostalgic and futuristic. The production is immaculate, yet never sterile. Every sound feels sculpted for impact, from the low-end resonance to the sharp clarity of the percussion.

This is Drum and Bass that invites reflection as much as movement. Beneath its polished surface, Setting Sun carries a sense of melancholy, a reminder that euphoria often arrives hand in hand with loss. It feels intimate and widescreen at once, a cinematic piece of music that reflects the duality at the heart of Metrik’s style. The track’s atmosphere evokes his earlier work while pushing into new emotional territory.

Following the high-energy collaboration Hole with Rou Reynolds and Filthy Pig, Setting Sun feels like a deliberate shift towards introspection. The use of his own vocals underscores that transformation, turning what could have been a festival anthem into something more personal and enduring. Metrik’s ability to fuse vulnerability with scale is what sets him apart, and it is on full display here.

The attention to detail is extraordinary. The layering of synths creates depth and movement, while subtle modulation gives the track a sense of breathing space rarely heard in this tempo range. It is Drum and Bass built not just for clubs but for repeated listening, where each play reveals another layer of emotion and intent.

As the lead single from Awake, Setting Sun suggests an album rich in both sound and concept. Metrik has described the forthcoming record as his most personal project to date, shaped by years of experimentation and reflection. That sense of purpose is clear throughout this release. It feels like the work of an artist who has rediscovered his voice and is ready to share it in full colour.

Setting Sun is out on 16 October 2025 on Hospital Records.

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