Track Breakdown: John Summit & Sub Focus on the Making of "Go Back (feat. Julia Church)"
In the ever-evolving world of electronic music, cross-genre collaborations often lead to boundary-pushing tracks that break new ground. “Go Back (ft. Julia Church)” exemplifies this, bringing together two heavyweight producers from distinct realms: house music sensation John Summit and drum & bass icon Sub Focus. Featured in Beatport's Track Breakdown series, the duo reveals the creative process behind this unique fusion, blending their signature styles into one innovative track.
A remix sparks a collaboration
The origins of "Go Back" trace back to a remix. In 2020, Sub Focus—renowned for his cutting-edge drum & bass productions — remixed John Summit's breakthrough hit "Deep End." Summit, whose house track dominated the charts and became the longest-running Beatport No. 1 that year, was intrigued by hearing his music reimagined in a drum & bass context. Nicolaas Douwma (aka Sub Focus) has been a driving force in electronic music for over 16 years, inspired early on by acts like The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers. His remix of "Deep End" ignited the idea of merging his energetic drum & bass style with Summit’s house-driven sound.
The two producers began sharing tracks and ideas, gradually building a musical dialogue. Summit, a Chicago-born DJ who left behind a career in accounting to pursue his passion for music, had been riding a wave of success since his 2020 rise to fame. As his star ascended, so did his desire to experiment and collaborate with artists outside of his genre. This mutual admiration laid the groundwork for what would become "Go Back."
Crafting the Track: A Fusion of Styles
With the melodic foundation set, Summit moved on to crafting the bass and drum elements. His attention to detail was key here — he layered deep sub-bass, mid-range bass, and a higher-pitched bassline to create a groove that would resonate on the dance floor. Using Serum, Summit designed a bass sound that spanned the entire frequency spectrum, ensuring the track had the punch and depth needed to fill club speakers.
For the drums, the duo sought to create a track that would smoothly transition between house and drum & bass. The first drop, intentionally understated, keeps the energy up without overwhelming listeners, allowing the track to build anticipation for the heavier drum & bass drop later on. This contrast in drops creates a dynamic journey for the listener.
When the track reaches its drum & bass climax, Sub Focus steps in with his signature style, delivering crisp, high-energy beats that elevate the track's intensity. His expertise in creating clean, powerful drums helped to inject the second half with momentum, ensuring the track maintained its dance floor energy.

The Tempo Shift: A Bold Experiment
One of the most challenging aspects of the track was its tempo shift—a bold decision that ultimately unified the two genres. Finding the right way to transition from house to drum & bass took time and precision. “The tempo change was tricky, but it was crucial for merging our sounds. We spent a long time making sure everything was in MIDI so that the instruments would adapt naturally to the change without sounding awkward.,” explains Sub Focus.
Summit echoed this, adding, "Looping the vocal was key to making it sound natural during the transition." By slowly building momentum in the middle section, they were able to guide listeners into the high-energy drum & bass drop without losing the emotional thread of the track.
Technical Tricks and Final Touches
A few technical enhancements further refined the track’s production. Summit used a low-pass filter on the vocals during the drum & bass drop to create a sense of movement, gradually bringing the vocal back as the drop progressed. He also employed Endless Smile, a reverb and delay plugin by Dada Life, to build tension before the drop, adding space and anticipation to the pre-drop build.
Sub Focus, known for his impeccable mastering skills, handled the final mix. His mastery ensured that the track maintained the aggressive punch of drum & bass while still retaining Summit’s house-driven elements.

The End Result: A Genre-Defying Hit
By the end of the production process, Summit and Sub Focus had two distinct versions of "Go Back": a house version and a drum & bass version. However, the tempo change ultimately allowed them to merge the two into a cohesive track that blended both genres seamlessly. As Summit put it, “The track is fun because it shows that you can do multiple styles of production—tech house, drum & bass—and as long as the original idea is strong, you can take it anywhere."
When the duo finally played the track live, the crowd’s reaction confirmed that their experiment had paid off. “A lot of people ask if I get tired of playing the same tracks, and the answer is not at all,” said Summit. “The crowd’s energy makes it worth it every time.”
"Go Back" stands as more than just a collaboration between two electronic music titans; it’s a testament to the power of blending genres and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in dance music.