U.K. bass label Circus Records has shared a the first posthumous release from dubstep producer Cookie Monsta, born Tony Cook, on Thursday (Sept. 29) ahead of the second anniversary of his death on Oct. 2.
“I’m Delighted” is a collaboration with Circus Records co-founder Flux Pavilion and bass duo Koven. Completed after Cook’s death, the cinematic track serves as a beacon for the downtrodden, building from solemn strings to swells of triumphant bass as Koven vocalist Katie Boyle declares: “Let me tell the world I’m not okay/ Knowing that I will be someday/ Been walking with a face that’s saying I’m delighted.”
“Tony loved cinematic music and always wanted to write it, that was the concept behind this record,” Flux Pavilion shared in a statement. “He had been struggling with writing, so I was like ‘What do you want to do, let’s just do that.’ The craziest thing for me is the emotion, when Katie [Koven] sent that vocal, both Tony and I were blown away. Then to come back and work on it posthumously, it became an incredibly deep and meaningful process for Katie, Max and myself.”
“Shortly before he passed away, the last text Tony sent me was replying about this track, he said ‘Gorgeous, analogue as f–k,’” Flux continued. “When we came back to finishing the song, that was all the guidance we needed to finish it off the way he would have wanted.”
Cook died in October of 2020 at age 31. A cause of death was not given. The Nottingham-hailing producer was a regular fixture on Circus Records, with whom he released rip-roaring EPs including Wobble and Ginger Pubes / Blurgh! He was a veteran on the global bass music scene and played many of the world’s biggest dance music festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, Electric Zoo and Glastonbury.
“To finally release ‘I’m Delighted’ is a bittersweet moment, it’s tough for all to go back to a piece of music that was born in the final few months of our friend and brother’s journey,” writes Circus Records. “But it is a wonderful, emotionally charged song and the world deserves to hear it.”
All proceeds from the song will benefit Cook’s son, Oliver. Listen to “I’m Delighted” below.
