Hacienda pioneer Jon Dasilva joins Skyskrapa and Donald Waugh for a genre-fluid, future-leaning statement on Hottwerk Records.
With roots tracing back to the seismic early days of Fac 51, The Hacienda, Jon Dasilva isn’t just part of UK dance music history, he helped shape its direction. A DJ who soundtracked the birth of British house culture alongside the likes of Mike Pickering and Graeme Park, his influence runs deep, from the Balearic scene through to artists like The Chemical Brothers and beyond. So when he steps into the studio in 2026, it carries weight.
Sun Brings Joy proves that legacy doesn’t equal looking back.
Teaming up with Swedish producer Skyskrapa and vocalist Donald Waugh, Dasilva delivers a track that feels as forward-thinking as anything currently doing the rounds. The much-talked-about Bass ID mix leans into that grey area between house, techno and bass music, a space Dasilva has been exploring in DJ sets since the late 80s. It’s fluid, unpredictable, and built for DJs who like to blur lines rather than follow them.
The groove is driven by a heavy, rolling low-end that immediately locks you in, while crisp percussion and evolving textures keep things shifting beneath the surface. There’s a looseness to the arrangement that feels intentional, echoing the kind of genre-hopping energy Dasilva became known for at The Hacienda, where disco, acid, dub and breaks could all coexist in a single set.
Donald Waugh’s vocal adds a crucial layer of warmth. Soulful and uplifting, it cuts through the tougher edges of the production, giving the track an emotional core that balances its club weight. It’s this contrast that gives Sun Brings Joy its crossover appeal. It hits hard enough for peak-time, but carries enough musicality to resonate far beyond it.
The early support list tells its own story. Names like Luke Una, Optimo, Erol Alkan and Jimpster aren’t jumping on hype, they’re backing records that work. And it’s easy to hear why. This is a tune that shifts the mood of a set rather than just sitting within it.
On remix duties, Spatial Awareness takes things deeper and more cosmic. Stripping back some of the original’s immediacy, the remix leans into hypnotic rhythms and a more spacious, electronic palette. It’s a slow burner, designed for those heads-down moments where the dancefloor locks into a groove and stays there.
As a package, it feels complete. The original pushes forward with intent, while the remix offers a more introspective counterpoint.
For Hottwerk Records, it’s another strong addition to the catalogue. For Dasilva, it’s further proof that his creative instincts remain as sharp as ever. Decades on from those formative nights in Manchester, he’s still doing what he’s always done best, pushing boundaries and joining the dots between scenes, sounds and generations.
Sun Brings Joy doesn’t lean on history. It builds on it. Pre order on Juno here.
