New York has a way of forcing creative chemistry, but the partnership between Brazilian-American multi-instrumentalist designerdave (David Barley) and Jamaican-American producer Bassic Instinct (Justin Phillips) feels grounded in musical curiosity. The two met at Berklee College of Music, where their different instincts began to sharpen each other. That connection first took shape on the 2025 EP Renaissance, which opened with the original version of “Take It Back.” Released May 29, 2026, “Take It Back (Remix)” returns to that song with urgency, rebuilding it as a darker, bass-heavy statement about resilience, self-belief, and taking control of the future.
That sense of control comes from a turning point. Designerdave wrote the original “Take It Back” while standing at a crossroads in his life and career. Feeling disconnected from his own direction, he used the song to claim ownership over what came next. The remix places that desire under heavier pressure. Bassic Instinct’s harder production makes the resolve feel immediate, as though an earlier private decision has become action.
The arrangement works because each artist knows his role. Bassic Instinct’s booming low end, moody melodies, and crisp drums keep the track in a constant state of tension. He began classical training at age five, later expanding into jazz, funk, and neo-soul. He plays bass, guitar, saxophone, and double bass. Those influences appear through pacing, texture, and restraint rather than technical display. The beat carries boom bap grit while remaining fluent in the harder edges of modern hip-hop.
Designerdave brings a broad foundation. The 24-year-old Brazilian-American artist has released music independently since 2021 and works across bass, guitar, drums, vocals, songwriting, and rap. That perspective helps his performance settle naturally into the production. He attacks the beat without fighting it, allowing the rhythm to guide the weight of each line.
Running just two minutes at 97 BPM in B minor, the remix moves quickly. There is no extended introduction, unnecessary bridge, or empty space. It drops straight into designerdave’s perspective, where the writing feels personal even at its most confrontational.
His lyric, “Challenges I beat them, enemies defeated. Memories I made from the days I was conceited,” establishes confidence without pretending the past was spotless. Accountability sits inside the victory. He admits his earlier flaws before measuring the distance he has traveled, which makes the triumph sound earned.
One of the strongest images follows: “When I write you on a page, you was scrapped and deleted.” The line carries a cold finality. It can suggest abandoning failed ideas, toxic influences, damaged relationships, or older versions of the self that no longer belong in the story. Its meaning shifts with the listener, giving a blunt lyric unexpected room to breathe.
The emotional center arrives when he confesses, “Mind state scattered in this bitch, I need a therapist.” The admission interrupts the bravado at the right moment. He celebrates survival while acknowledging that the struggle has not fully passed. Confidence and instability share the same space, creating a portrait of growth that remains unfinished, messy, and recognizable.
Bassic Instinct’s restraint becomes especially important here. His classical and jazz experience could have led to an overly dense arrangement, yet he leaves space around the vocal. Each bass hit and drum pattern reinforces the tension beneath the verses. The darkness feels purposeful, tied to the song’s urgency rather than borrowed as a fashionable mood.
The hook, “Hold the phone, let me take it back,” lands as a declaration of control. It sounds like someone reaching for the steering wheel after allowing circumstance to choose the route for too long. Beneath the heavy bass and pointed lyricism is a clear desire to reclaim authorship over what comes next.
“Take It Back (Remix)” also sets the stage for the duo’s next chapter. Designerdave and Bassic Instinct plan to release a single, “Let It Out,” in August 2026. This remix leaves them sounding focused, energized, and ready to move forward on their own terms.
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