The UK duo taps songstress Donna Tella for an emotionally gripping ballad
Culture Code is a UK-based production pair made up of two childhood friends who have been meticulously expanding their melodically-minded discography over the past decade. Making their debut on Lost In Dreams, the duo connects with singer-songwriter Donna Tella for the engrossing ballad “Gone Too Long.”
Striking and deeply moving, “Gone Too Long” is an epic electropop offering that explores the weight of a tragic loss. Donna Tella’s vocals drift from poignant to painful, both embroidered with equal measures of breathtaking power. The lyrics charter the struggle of living when a loved one is no longer in the picture. Nostalgia mixes with uncertainty and sadness for a swirling cathartic release. Culture Code employs an expertly crafted backing to enhance the vocal performance. Cinematic orchestral strings create a gentle yet epic soundbed. Wailing guitar licks transmute into electrifying power chords that are puntuated by punchy drum programming culminating into a commanding, rocktronic crescendo. Landing between somber and intense, “Gone Too Long” is an emotional rollercoaster that will have you deep in your feelings.
Culture Code opens up about the writing process and its dual meaning saying, “The song concept started back in 2021. I got an acoustic guitar and started playing around with a chord progression, humming melodies over the top until I landed on the line ‘How do I breathe / the air that we shared,’ which then paved the way for the rest of the song’s concept. The song can be interpreted based on the listener's perspective: it can either be a breakup song or it could sadly be taken as a song about losing someone.”
Culture Code is a UK-based production duo with over a decade of experience in the industry. The pair are renowned for their ability to explore genres, working across melodic bass, progressive house, melodic dubstep, and future bass. Their impressive discography includes remixes for heavyweights such as the Chainsmokers, Galantis, ARMNHMR, and MitiS, as well as the breakout original “Make Me Move” alongside Karra which has amassed over 45 million streams.
Donna Tella is the dance alias of pop artist Alexis Don. The singer-songwriter is a mainstay in the industry with collaborations alongside top-tier artists like Excision, Ray Volpe, Synmata, and Hoang. Her collaboration with the latter, “Hold On Tight,” served as a preview of this collaboration when Culture Code delivered their own remix.
“Gone Too Long” fuses the talents of its creators into a torrent of emotion that will sweep you away.
