More than a decade after helping establish brostep as one of electronic music’s defining sounds, BARELY ALIVE are demonstrating there is still plenty of room for the genre to evolve. Their latest release, ‘100% NO AI,’ revisits the aggressive energy and intricate sound design that first introduced the duo to audiences while refining those ideas through years of production experience and creative growth.
Instead of recreating the past, the seven-track EP expands upon it. Throughout the project, BARELY ALIVE combine modern production techniques with the unmistakable DNA of classic brostep, creating a collection that feels equally familiar to longtime fans and forward-looking for a new generation of listeners.
Revisiting the Roots While Expanding the Formula
The EP wastes little time establishing its intent. Opener “OVERDRIVE” immediately showcases the balance between melodic songwriting and heavyweight bass production that has become synonymous with the duo. “POINT BLANK,” alongside Edison Cole and Dani King, pairs emotional vocal work with explosive drops, while “WE SET IT” reconnects BARELY ALIVE with UK legends Ragga Twins for a modern interpretation of one of dubstep’s most recognizable collaborative formulas.
That versatility continues throughout the remainder of the project. Luci delivers one of the EP’s standout vocal performances on “LAY ME DOWN,” while PAV4N’s appearance on “HUNGER GAMES” introduces rapid-fire lyricism over crushing low-end production. “LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND” explores a more melodic direction through Casey Cook and LOST FRIEND before the project closes with “NO BAD PARTS,” a collaboration with TYNAN and Madyx built around storytelling and festival-sized drops.
Speaking about the project, BARELY ALIVE explain,
“We returned to our roots, pushing the sonic boundaries of brostep to the next level while putting focus on the human element. In a world saturated with AI-generated content, ‘100% NO AI’ is a body of music and multimedia artwork handmade by humans, for humans.”
This release follows a year that has seen the duo reconnect with the sound many fans originally fell in love with. Their “OVERDRIVE” tour and widely viewed live brostep mix both hinted at a renewed creative focus, and ‘100% NO AI’ fully delivers on that promise.
As bass music continues evolving, BARELY ALIVE make a compelling case that brostep still has unexplored territory left to discover. Rather than treating the genre as a nostalgic relic, the duo approach it as an evolving creative platform, one capable of absorbing new influences while remaining true to the energy that made it resonate in the first place.
With major festival appearances on the horizon, ‘100% NO AI’ stands as both a celebration of the duo’s legacy and a confident statement about where brostep goes next.