Some collaborations are announced. Others are discovered by the crowd long before they officially exist.
David Guetta and ARTBAT’s remix of Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ belongs firmly in the second category.
After months of appearing as an unidentified festival ID in sets around the world, the highly anticipated rework of Gotye and Kimbra’s 2011 classic has finally been released — giving fans the full version of one of 2026’s most requested dancefloor moments.
The collaboration takes one of the most recognizable songs of the 2010s and rebuilds it for the modern electronic landscape, placing its unforgettable vocal inside a cinematic, melodic-techno framework.
From Festival ID to Official Release
The story behind the remix is almost as important as the record itself.
For months, Guetta and ARTBAT had been testing the track in front of festival audiences, turning the familiar opening vocal into an instant crowd trigger.
Rather than arriving without warning on streaming platforms, the remix effectively developed a life of its own through live performances.
Fans heard the ID, recognized the song and waited for an official release.
Now, that wait is over.
The track transforms the emotional tension of the original into a much larger electronic production, maintaining the recognizable vocal while introducing heavier low-end, cinematic textures and a euphoric release designed for large-scale festival environments.
Gotye’s Classic Enters the Melodic-Techno World
Originally released in 2011, ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ became a defining global hit for Gotye and Kimbra.
Its sparse arrangement and emotionally exposed vocal performances gave the song a distinctive intimacy. More than a decade later, Guetta and ARTBAT approach that material from an entirely different sonic perspective.
The vocal remains central, but the surrounding production expands dramatically.
Driving bass, atmospheric synths and cinematic elements turn the song into a widescreen festival record without stripping away the emotional character that made the original so memorable.
It is a familiar song, but presented through a completely different musical language.
David Guetta Meets ARTBAT
The collaboration also brings together two distinctly different forces within contemporary dance music.
Guetta has spent decades moving between house, pop, EDM and numerous other corners of electronic music, continually adapting his sound while maintaining an extraordinary connection with mainstream audiences.
ARTBAT, meanwhile, have become closely associated with the global rise of melodic techno, developing a sound defined by emotional melodies, dramatic arrangements and powerful club-focused production.
On paper, the collaboration bridges different generations and sections of electronic music culture.
In practice, the combination feels remarkably natural.
Guetta’s crossover instincts meet ARTBAT’s darker, cinematic approach, creating a track capable of functioning both as a nostalgic singalong and a modern festival weapon.
A Record Built for Collective Moments
Part of the remix’s appeal comes from its ability to turn personal nostalgia into a collective experience.
The opening vocal is immediately recognizable to millions of listeners. When that familiarity is paired with a large-scale melodic-techno production, the result is designed for the kind of festival moment where thousands of people know every word.
That was already evident during the track’s months-long run as an ID.
Guetta himself reflected on the reaction, saying:
“We’ve been playing this one around the world for months now and watching you all scream every word has been insane.”
He added that there is something particularly special about the combination of the song’s emotion and the energy it generates in a crowd.
Now, those festival reactions can finally continue beyond the live environment.
Another Major Crossover for ARTBAT
For ARTBAT, the release represents another significant step in the duo’s expanding global presence.
The Ukrainian pair have steadily established themselves among the leading names in melodic techno, while collaborations and crossover releases have continued to push their sound toward broader audiences.
Working with Guetta on one of the most recognizable pop songs of the 2010s places that sound in an even wider cultural context.
For Guetta, meanwhile, the project reinforces a career-long willingness to explore different corners of dance music.
The producer has repeatedly demonstrated that contemporary electronic music does not need to exist within rigid genre boundaries — and this collaboration is another example.
‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ Gets a New Life
The best remixes do more than update an old song.
They change the context in which listeners experience it.
That is what makes the Guetta and ARTBAT version of ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ particularly effective. The original remains instantly recognizable, but its emotional weight is amplified by a production designed for today’s festival generation.
After months of anticipation, the mysterious festival ID is finally no longer a secret.
David Guetta and ARTBAT’s remix of ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ is out now and available on major streaming platforms.