Don Diablo & Bipolar Sunshine — More Than A Friend

Don Diablo returns to his Hexagon imprint with "More Than A Friend," a collaboration with UK vocalist Bipolar Sunshine that balances future house production with genuine emotional weight. This isn't the maximalist festival weapon approach Diablo could easily deliver—instead, it's a track that trusts vocal performance and songwriting to carry as much weight as the production itself.

Bipolar Sunshine's Delivery

Bipolar Sunshine (Adio Marchant) brings exactly the kind of vocal presence this track needs—soulful without being overwrought, emotional without sacrificing dancefloor functionality. His previous work with DJ Snake, Beyoncé, and Gryffin established his ability to deliver pop sensibility within electronic contexts, and "More Than A Friend" shows that skill at its most effective.

The lyrics navigate relationship ambiguity with the kind of direct questioning that makes for effective hooks: "You said forever but forever had to come to an end / Am I more than a friend?" It's straightforward enough to connect immediately but delivers the emotional specificity that makes tracks memorable beyond their first listen.

Don Diablo's Production Approach

Diablo's production here shows restraint—the future house elements serve the vocal rather than competing with it. The synth work creates space for Marchant's performance, the drops land with impact but don't overwhelm the song's emotional arc, and the overall arrangement maintains club functionality without sacrificing the track's pop accessibility.

This is the kind of production maturity that comes from running a successful label (Hexagon) and understanding what works across different contexts. Diablo knows when to push and when to pull back, and "More Than A Friend" demonstrates that knowledge throughout.

The Hexagon Context

Hexagon Records has become one of electronic music's most consistent outlets for future house and progressive sounds that work both in clubs and on streaming playlists. Diablo's curation creates space for tracks that don't have to choose between dancefloor effectiveness and broader appeal—they can pursue both simultaneously.

"More Than A Friend" fits perfectly within that approach. It's produced well enough to work in DJ sets, written accessibly enough to connect with general electronic music listeners, and performed with enough emotional authenticity to feel genuine rather than calculated.

Bipolar Sunshine's Electronic Music History

Marchant's work spans indie rock roots (his early Bipolar Sunshine releases), major pop collaborations (Beyoncé's "Formation"), and electronic productions with artists like DJ Snake ("Middle") and Adriatique. This range gives him perspective on how vocals can function within different production contexts, and his performance here shows that understanding.

He doesn't try to force "More Than A Friend" into ballad territory or pure club banger energy—he finds the middle ground where both approaches enhance each other. That's harder than it sounds and exactly what makes collaborations like this work.

The Release Context

Dropping on February 13, 2026 via Hexagon, "More Than A Friend" arrives as part of a busy release week that included tracks from Armin van Buuren & Maddix, Nicky Romero, and BUNT. Diablo's track holds its own by offering something slightly different—more song-focused, more emotionally direct, and less concerned with pure peak-time impact than some of its competition.

Featured on Don Diablo's Hexagon Radio 577, the track immediately entered rotation for DJs looking for vocal-driven house that maintains club energy without sacrificing songwriting quality.

The Verdict

"More Than A Friend" succeeds by trusting that effective songwriting and skilled vocal performance can carry as much weight as production tricks. Don Diablo provides the future house framework that makes the track functional for DJs, while Bipolar Sunshine delivers vocals that give it personality beyond genre exercise. For anyone who appreciates when electronic music production and traditional songcraft meet without either compromising, this is exactly what that intersection sounds like when done well.