Update: Zomby’s currently addressing this issue on Twitter. Well, sort of.

A producer on Soundcloud has uploaded a loop of music that he claims to have written, solo, in October 2007.

Many FACT readers will instantly recognise it as Zomby’s 2011 single ‘Natalia’s Song’, bar a couple of minor differences. The producer, named Reark, claims that the title is a reference to Natalia Ladygina, a Russian friend of his, covering Irina Dubcova’s ‘O nem’. He goes on to detail the sequence of events as he sees them:

“01. I wrote this loop back in October 2007, entirely by myself, posting it on myspace.

“02. Zomby, with whom I was communicating, hears the loop and offers to collaborate to finish it. I agree and send him the original Reason song file + Rex file of the vocals.

“03. Zomby posts the loop on his myspace without crediting me, I complain, he takes it down.

“04. In the next months Zomby suggests where the track might get released. I continue to remind him that it’s a collaboration.

“05. Without my knowledge, a slightly revised version is aired by Mary Anne Hobbs on Radio 1, you can hear Zomby’s revised drum variation from 1:06 — 1:36. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDLXRtbeLg0 This is the only significant change he’s made to the track. The rest is looping, and some slight editing of the vocal cuts.

“06. The track gets released on 4AD in May 2011, I notice in August 2011. I complain first to Zomby with no effect, then to 4AD, to whom I send this loop plus an e-mail sent from me to Zomby with the original Reason song file from October 2007. 4AD accept my evidence and change credits to include my name.”

A glance at 4AD’s website shows that they have now credited Reark on the track, so his sixth point is certainly true. It’s not the first bit of controversy to crop up from ‘Natalia’s Song’ either; upon the song’s release last year, Irina Dubcova wasn’t too happy. You can stream Reark’s loop below.

Natalia’s Song (original pre-Zomby loop)