Back in May, the first hints of an upcoming collaboration between the Diplo-led group Major Lazer and Justin Bieber trickled into the community. Vocalist MØ and even Ed Sheeran were soon added to the list of contributors to the track, which was named “Cold Water” on one of Diplo’s recent Beats 1 Radio takeovers. Today, a significant snippet of the song in question was leaked via what appears to be a Chinese radio station. Coming in at over three minutes, it’s fair to assume that the radio clip will comprise the majority of the final version.
It begins with melancholy guitar plucks and an opening verse from Bieber, before a gentle moombahton beat takes over the tempo. A heavily tailored horn section makes up the hook of the chorus, much in the same way that the high-pitched vocal chops did in “Lean On.” Another steady verse from Bieber follows, slowly swelling into a bridge from MØ. The song concludes with an anthemic focus on the horn melody and jaunty vibe.
As we wait for the official release to finally wash over us, you can listen to the preview below.
This stream was removed at request.