Steven Boom Explores Summer Romance on “End of the High”

There’s something interesting about dance-pop records that address the uncertainty of falling in love rather than concentrating entirely on the excitement. Meeting someone new can change your daily routine almost immediately, particularly during summer when travel, social events, and time away from work create opportunities that might not exist throughout the rest of the year.

The difficult question comes afterward, when those circumstances change and the relationship needs to continue without the excitement surrounding its beginning.

Dutch DJ and producer Steven Boom explores that situation on his new single, “End of the High,” featuring Swedish singer-songwriter Philip Strand and Dutch vocalist Amanda Collis. Co-produced with Maarten Vorwerk, the recording approaches the subject from two perspectives, allowing the featured singers to address the same relationship from different positions. The result is an upbeat dance-pop production concerned with whether an intense early connection can survive once ordinary life resumes.

What interests me about the release is how deliberately Boom has approached the collaboration. Rather than concentrating exclusively on his own production work, he’s developing an artist project where songwriting, vocal performance, and musical direction are handled through a close group of collaborators.

For someone returning to music after years focused on another career, it’s an interesting way to organize the creative process, especially when the goal is to establish a clear direction across future releases.

Why “End of the High” Needed Two Vocalists

The central idea behind “End of the High” is that falling in love involves two people whose understanding of the relationship may differ. Boom wanted the recording to acknowledge that uncertainty rather than present a straightforward account of a successful summer romance. Bringing Strand and Collis together allowed the songwriters to develop those contrasting perspectives through separate vocal performances.

“End of the High is about that moment when you meet someone and everything suddenly feels different,” Boom explains. “You’re caught up in this incredible summer high, but eventually real life starts again and you have to find out if what you felt was actually real.”

Strand brings considerable experience in commercial electronic music, with songwriting and recording credits connected to Galantis, JVKE, Cheat Codes, Armin van Buuren, Icona Pop, Nicky Romero, and Lucas & Steve. His work has accumulated over 500 million Spotify streams, according to the artist’s team. Collis has similarly established herself through collaborations with Fedde Le Grand, Cat Dealers, Brennan Heart, Blasterjaxx, and Klaas, with her catalog credited with over 150 million streams.

The decision to use two singers is particularly relevant because it gives the vocal arrangement a specific purpose beyond adding another performer. I explored a related approach in my How It Was Made feature with Mitch de Klein and Olivia Pauline, where the producer explained how the vocalist’s original idea informed the entire recording.

Boom’s collaboration operates differently, but it similarly places the songwriting at the center of the production rather than treating the vocals as something added to a completed instrumental.

What’s Next for Steven Boom After “End of the High”?

“End of the High” is the first release in Boom’s renewed artist project, which already has several additional collaborations in development. His official website lists forthcoming material featuring KARRA, Sara Sangfelt, and Janieck Devy, alongside further productions with Maarten Vorwerk. Those recordings remain in development, and release dates have not yet been announced.

Boom is also developing a mixtape series organized around three listening situations: Morning Coffee, The Car, and The Dancefloor. Each selection combines existing pop and dance recordings with his own music, reflecting his interest in creating songs that listeners can return to outside clubs and festivals.

That approach connects with a broader discussion about how producers establish an identity when their work relies on collaboration. Our interview with JP Castro examined the relationship between songwriting, creative control, and working with other musicians. Boom has chosen to build a production team around his ideas rather than handle each part of the recording independently.

For me, the most interesting decision on “End of the High” is using two vocalists to examine a relationship from different perspectives. It’s a relatively straightforward concept, but it gives the song a specific reason for bringing these performers together.

As Boom continues developing future releases, the question will be whether that same attention to songwriting and collaboration can establish a consistent identity across the project.

“End of the High” was released October 21, 2026. Listen on Spotify or watch the official lyric video.