ILLENIUM opens ODYSSEY with a voice at the hours of darkness: “Hearth hidden in ash. Mild hid in shadow.”
The spoken-word intro lasts barely half a minute, a shadowy preface earlier than his ODYSSEY expands into full coloration. His sixth studio album arrives as a full-scale narrative, transferring via melodic bass, trance, home and rock with a way of intention that feels bigger than anybody monitor.
“A lot went into creating this venture,” ILLENIUM stated. “This album wouldn’t exist with out the unbelievable artists who helped form it. Each collaboration performed a job in bringing it to life. This actually is a shared journey, and I’m grateful to lastly put it out into the world.”
Throughout its 19 tracks, the expansive album strikes via genres with out shedding its emotional middle. It performs like uncooked, human feelings projected at full scale, intimate in feeling however stretched throughout a a lot wider canvas.
“Into the Darkish” is the second the display widens. Mako’s vocals drift in softly because the manufacturing swells beneath, the tempo constructing till the primary euphoric drop lands just like the opening sequence of a movie. The monitor’s haunting chorus (“I’ll comply with you into the darkish”) anchors the primary stretch of ODYSSEY.
“Without end” (with Tom Grennan and Alna) aches with unresolved pressure earlier than tipping into one thing louder and cathartic. ILLENIUM then pivots to stadium-scale progressive home alongside Ryan Tedder on “With Your Love,” the place the OneRepublic frontman’s uncooked voice admits, “I’ve been tousled, I’ve been lonely.”
ILLENIUM’s curation of vocal collaborators feels extremely intentional, every voice assembly his manufacturing on the proper second. Elley Duhé joins him for one of many album’s standouts, “Feels Like You,” which pulses with longing. The beat strikes like a heartbeat in a darkish room, looking for somebody who isn’t there.
Surging singer-songwriter HAYLA options on “In My Arms,” delivering a robust efficiency grounded in connection and luxury earlier than main into considered one of ILLENIUM’s largest drops. Chart-topping songstress Ellie Goulding then returns to the dancefloor on “Don’t Need Your Love,” leaning into anthemic trance.
Credit score: Jason SiegelAfter which the scene adjustments. ILLENIUM joins forces with Carry Me The Horizon for “Slave to the Rhythm,” the place the British rock band barrels via an association tinged with acid techno earlier than detonating into steel. It’s relentless, with Oli Sykes shifting from breathy restraint into full scream because the monitor snaps with pounding drums, delivering one of many album’s most hanging moments.
ILLENIUM teamed up with iconic dubstep duo Zeds Useless for “I’ll Come Runnin’,” the place Mako’s vocals soften into their spellbinding manufacturing, which includes a gorgeous breakbeat sequence. The monitor unfolds in waves, easing the strain after the album’s heaviest stretch.
From there, ODYSSEY lets the vocals take middle stage. Lauren Alaina’s work on “Love Is a Chemical” introduces a country-leaning tone over dance-ready manufacturing. “Really feel Alive” blends Dabin’s time-tested guitar textures with Bastille’s breathy vocals whereas “Monster” strips every thing all the way down to piano and an angelic vocal from Emmy, who depart feelings absolutely uncovered: “I’m bored with being alone and afraid.”
The closing stretch lifts the album even additional skyward. ILLENIUM goes the drum & bass route with Child Cudi on the propulsive “Not Atypical.” He trades the frenetic drums for a four-on-the-floor rhythm within the anthemic “Refuge” earlier than doing the identical on “To the Moon,” a collaboration with Brazilian EDM famous person Alok that takes the journey into the cosmos earlier than the ultimate descent.
“Ur Alive” closes the album with a easy reminder. “Go searching, don’t neglect you’re alive,” the vocals plead as ILLENIUM’s manufacturing carries that acquainted melodic rush.
Followers will get to expertise ODYSSEY when ILLENIUM brings the album to life with a nine-show residency on the Vegas Sphere in March and April, supported by Levity, Ray Volpe, Wooli and others.
You possibly can take heed to ODYSSEY under and discover the brand new album on streaming platforms right here.
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