Two corners of electronic dance music collided today as trance pioneer Armin van Buuren and acclaimed artist and musician Gryffin released their debut collab, ‘What Took You So Long’.
The track has been highly anticipated by fans since news of a joint studio session was shared by the artists on social media last fall.
While Gryffin has cemented himself in the crossover and future bass scenes with his previous two albums, he’s now embracing his dance-centric roots to the fullest, signaled by tracks that will ultimately feature on his forthcoming album, PULSE. Similarly, Armin van Buuren has been revisiting the faster BPMs and uplifting vibes of his early days in his recent album, Breathe In. ‘What Took You So Long’ captures this significant moment for both artists, intertwining a dynamic mix of dance and trance elements.
On the linkup, Gryffin said, “‘What Took You So Long’ came about in a session I was in with Armin, Jake Torrey, Madison Love and Toby Gad. I remember we were all talking when Armin told us a story around the concept of finding the love of your life and wondering why it took so long to find your person. All of us immediately thought the idea was incredibly powerful. From there, we started working on the production and I told Armin about the direction I was taking with my new album. We decided to dive head-first into the 140 bpm trance world and felt like the intense emotional instrumental perfectly complemented Madison’s vocals. Overall, I couldn’t be more excited with how it came out and to share it with the fans.”
“Collaborating with Gryffin was so special because we’re both circling back to our music roots, which puts us at similar points in our artistic journeys despite coming from different generations,” said Armin van Buuren. “What’s more is that the lyrics detail the cherished moment in my life when I first met my wife and knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The title of the track is a nod to her needing a bit more convincing at first, so this one’s also for her! ‘What Took You So Long’ holds a special place in my heart and I’m so excited for the world to hear it.”
‘What Took You So Long’ is available now via Armada Music.
