When Okayden first released Sugar Water, it was a heartfelt alternative pop track delicately exploring the emotions tied to queer love — specifically, the uncertainty and thrill of experiencing it for the first time. With its gentle instrumentation and introspective vocals, the song stood as a tender ode to self-discovery and vulnerability. Now, in collaboration with electronic producer Polybit, Sugar Water has been reborn — this time as a drum and bass remix that bursts with high energy, club-ready momentum, and a fresh, euphoric twist on the original’s core themes.
Polybit’s remix of Sugar Water is an electrifying evolution of the original track. Where Okayden and co-creator VRDA built a soft, reflective soundscape, the remix pulls listeners onto their feet with pulsating beats, fast-paced rhythms, and a driving bassline. The shift in genre doesn’t strip away the emotional weight of the song; rather, it amplifies it, offering a new way to experience the joy, confusion, and rush of queer love — this time in the shared space of a dancefloor.
There’s something liberating about hearing lyrics of queer intimacy set against the backdrop of high-tempo drums and shimmering synths. It feels like a celebration, and in many ways, it is — of identity, community, and artistic exploration.
Part of what makes this release stand out is its truly global creative process. The original Sugar Water was co-written with Sydney-based artist VRDA, whom Okayden discovered through a blog post. Despite being based in Melbourne, Okayden and VRDA connected online and quickly decided to collaborate on several tracks. The remix brought another layer of international flavor, with Polybit (connected through a mutual musician friend, Superchromatic) stepping in from yet another part of the world — literally, as he was traveling for work during the remix’s production.
The final result? A track recorded, edited, and reshaped across at least three cities, with each contributor leaving their fingerprint on the final sound.
Okayden has always shown a flair for vocal manipulation, and Sugar Water was no exception. At the time of recording, they were heavily into vocal editing — cutting, reversing, and re-sampling VRDA’s vocals to create unique instrumental textures. These experimental layers made the original stand out, and in the remix, Polybit takes that concept even further, warping and layering the vocals with his signature DnB touch to create something wholly new while preserving the song’s emotional resonance.
It’s a beautiful example of what happens when creative minds push boundaries — not just within genres but in the actual methods of music-making.
For Okayden, Sugar Water – Polybit Remix is more than just a new single. It marks the final note of a larger body of work — a remix album that followed their third EP. In their words, it’s “kind of the end of an era,” a sentiment that gives the track even more emotional weight. It’s both a send-off and a signpost pointing toward what’s next.
And while the remix closes the chapter on this EP cycle, it opens the door to new possibilities for Okayden’s sound — perhaps more experimental, more collaborative, and even more globally influenced.
Recently, Okayden shared an hour-long radio set on Electronic Music Australia, which aired both in Australia and the UK. The performance was a milestone — not only for its reach but for the opportunity to showcase tracks that have inspired them and shaped their sound.
That international exposure seems fitting for an artist who has consistently collaborated across borders, time zones, and genres.
Okayden sums up their recent journey perfectly:
“Working with so many artists recently on remixes has really opened my eyes up to what I’ve been producing — highlighting things in my own production I didn’t realise were good, but also the areas I want to experiment with more in future releases.”
This kind of reflection is rare in a fast-paced music landscape. It shows an artist who’s not just producing for the algorithm but truly paying attention — learning, growing, and finding their place in an ever-shifting musical world.
Sugar Water – Polybit Remix is more than just a rework of an earlier single. It’s a celebration of queer love, collaboration, and the unexpected magic that happens when artists from different backgrounds come together to create something bold and beautiful. It’s a remix in the truest sense — not just a new version of a song, but a reimagining of its emotional core.
Whether you’re drawn to the intimate storytelling of the original or the infectious energy of the remix, Sugar Water in all its forms is a testament to Okayden’s evolving artistry — and a sign of even greater things to come.
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