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Virtual Riot & Blanke Deliver Emotional Shift on “Best of Me” Featuring Dia Frampton
When two of bass music’s most technically dominant producers decide to slow things down, it means something.
Virtual Riot and Blanke unite on “Best of Me”, a melodic and emotionally focused collaboration featuring Dia Frampton and it marks a noticeable shift from the high-intensity frameworks both artists are known for.
Instead of operating in the familiar 140/150 BPM territory that helped define modern dubstep, Virtual Riot leans into restraint. The track unfolds gradually, built around airy synth layers, subtle percussion, and controlled low-end movement. There are no oversized drops fighting for attention. the power here comes from space and songwriting.
Virtual Riot openly embraced that change. After years shaping the heavier side of bass music through advanced sound design and genre-defining releases, he wanted to create something beautiful again. And doing it alongside Blanke made it even more meaningful.
For Blanke, the collaboration carries personal significance. Having learned from Virtual Riot’s production tutorials and followed his catalog for years, working side by side in the studio became a full-circle creative moment. The chemistry shows. “Best of Me” feels deliberate, not experimental, emotional, not accidental.
At the center of the record is Dia Frampton, whose vocal performance gives the track its emotional architecture. Known for collaborations with Illenium, The Crystal Method, Kaskade, and M83, Frampton delivers a reflective narrative about choosing to remember love in its best light rather than focusing on how it ended. It’s about closure without bitterness — something rarely explored with this level of subtlety in bass music.
The timing of this release is significant.
Virtual Riot remains one of the most influential figures in modern bass music. The German-born producer, now based in Minneapolis, has spent over a decade redefining dubstep’s sonic boundaries. He co-wrote on Skrillex & Swae Lee’s “Mixed Signals,” which reached No. 6 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart, and previously worked on Justin Bieber’s “2 Much,” a Grammy-nominated project. His 2021 album Simulation further cemented his technical reputation, followed by a nationwide tour that closed with a sold-out headline at the Hollywood Palladium. From EDC Las Vegas to Tomorrowland, Rampage, and Lost Lands, his global presence is undeniable.
Blanke’s trajectory mirrors that expansion. The Australian-born, Denver-based producer has surpassed 260 million streams, released across labels like Monstercat, Ophelia, and Deadbeats, and collaborated with artists including Illenium, REZZ, Seven Lions, and Zeds Dead. His performances at Lollapalooza, Red Rocks, EDC Las Vegas, and HARD Summer have solidified him as one of bass music’s most versatile live acts.
Together, “Best of Me” doesn’t aim to dominate a festival drop moment. it aims to linger. It proves that technical mastery doesn’t always require maximalism. Sometimes the most resonant records are the ones that choose intention over impact.
In a genre often defined by intensity, this collaboration feels quietly powerful. and that’s exactly the point.
“Best of Me” is out now on all streaming platforms.
follow VIRTUAL RIOT:
WEBSITE | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC | YOUTUBE | SOUNDCLOUD | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
follow BLANKE:
WEBSITE | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC | YOUTUBE | SOUNDCLOUD | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
follow DIA FRAMPTON:
WEBSITE | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC | YOUTUBE | SOUNDCLOUD | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
