The independent label Monstercat is famous for its diverse array of talented artists, and also for some unique, phenomenal collaborations among them. Having divided their label into two brands – Uncaged and Instinct – to ensure that they cater to all audiences alike, from casual radio listeners to bassheads.

Monstercat is also no stranger to signing triple collaborations, having previously featured some (Exhibit A and B) on their compilation albums. The newest one on Instinct (their chill, mellow side) comes from mainstay Direct, Matt Van and Killabyte and is called One Less Star. First previewed in their weekly Call of the Wild (COTW) radioshow (Monstercat is one of very few labels who do have one), this tune combines Direct’s future garage with Killabyte’s melodic bass to which Matt Van lends his wonderful vocals.

This track stemmed from a studio session between good friends Direct and Killabyte all the way back in 2016. It waited without any major work being done on it until it was paired with perfect vocals, which ended up coming from frequent Direct collaborator and Monstercat signee Matt Van. It finally sees a release in 2019 with an original and an acoustic mix. The original clearly incorporates some ambient sound design as well as intricate, wide supersaws, while the acoustic sounds more like what this tune would’ve been without the influence of Killabyte.

The original mix incorporates much of Direct’s sound in the first two minutes of the song. Warm, soothing percussion and heavenly pads back Matt Van’s verses, right before Killabyte’s saws and square lead enters the mix around that two-minute mark, signifying melodic dubstep making its influence known. The drop is also led by Matt Van’s soaring vocals, backed harmonically by the square lead. The lead moves into an improvisation section, while Matt moves into the post-chorus.

I’m really loving the two-minute acoustic styled verses in the original mix itself; they allow Matt Van’s vocals to stand out, and the lyrics really hit you in the face. Singing about a heart-breaking romantic failure, Matt’s chorus line ‘now there’s one less star in the city’ will make you end up teary-eyed.

The three artists choose to include only one drop in the song, which is unusual for a four-and-a-half minute song, but definitely apt considering the names involved. The 250+ seconds provide ample time for each of these producers to display their sound and production prowess, without really interfering significantly with the other’s work. Meanwhile, the shorter acoustic mix is a more chill-rock oriented production that sounds like a Direct x Matt Van production. Somewhat ironically, it’s this kind of sound that Killabyte is producing under his new moniker ‘Midnight Kids’ (check out this Late Night Edit of their debut single).

All three of these artists have honed in on quite a specific sound over their careers, which is part of the reason that I’m (pleasantly) surprised that this collaboration actually exists. Check out my selection of their discographies below. Direct will satisfy your ambient tastes, while Matt Van will get you feeling the same way you did in this song with his vocal collaborations. Killabyte will get you pumped and nostalgic at the same time, with his all-time classics including Wicked Ways (w/ the renowned Dankya Nadeau) and Departure. He’s now been spending time producing for a collaborative project with a friend of his called Midnight Kids, who have released some fantastic work, which I’ve previously featured on this website too.