jav3x puts his best foot forward with a stylishly inspired and gracefully executed remix of Mokita‘s nocturnal ballad Sleepwalking (ft. Mike Kinsella) — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
Augmenting the plaintive, tenderly rendered acoustic-guitar number with a slow-burning groove, crisp finger snaps, haunting atmospheric textures and electronica flourishes, the ascendant Toronto artist takes Mokita’s track in bold new directions, while retaining the intimate, heart-rending beauty that defines and anchors of the song.
“Being a huge fan of (Mokita’s) work, this was an honour for me,” says jav3x (aka Renald Joseph Benedicto). “The end result is far better than I could’ve ever imagined!”
A lack of imagination has never been a problem for jav3x (pronounced jaah-vecks). He blends power, emotion and creativity seamlessly through his distinct sound, which he began crafting at age 12 in his bedroom after being inspired by deadmau5’s livestream sessions. Pursuing his true passion, Renald began to teach himself how to write and produce, creating music that aims to inspire others.
At the age of 14, jav3x released his first progressive house track Into the Sky. He followed up with notable fare such as Destiny and Somewhere Here. His music has picked up support from distinguished acts like Chicane and Cosmic Gate while amassing over 600k streams worldwide. Summer Solstice, his 2016 collaboration with progressive artist Roald Velden, garnered move than 60k streams.
After his tenure in progressive house, jav3x began to experiment with different styles, gaining inspiration from other genres and discovering a new love for EDM, future bass and pop. After a four-year hiatus from releasing music, it was time for jav3x to come out of hibernation. He has returned stronger than ever, with a sound that has shifted from progressive house to showcase his new musical touchstones. Earlier this year, he independently released his first single under his new image, Die Young, highlighting his newfound sound and marking the beginning of a new era for jav3x.
Check out his remix of Sleepwalking above, hear more from jav3x below, and keep up with him on his website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
