Zedd’s latest single, “The Middle” features country newcomer Maren Morris, who proves to have the perfect voice for an EDM hook. She whines on the chorus “Why don’t you just meet me in the middle, I’m losing my mind just a little” in true Zedd pop/flirty fashion.
Although there are SEVERAL similarities to Zedd’s 2017 smash hit “Stay” featuring alt-crush Alessia Cara, “Middle” still has that pop glimmer we love so much. The female vocals are stellar and the beat drop at the chorus is just as good as it always is. Zedd’s sound continues to be niche and who cares, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Morris tweeted in support of the hot track, saying, “When Zedd comes to Nashville to record your vocal, you race there. So proud to be apart of this jam.”
“Something Just Like This” – The Chainsmokers & Coldplay
Just when you thought they couldn’t get any better. Party boys turned world-wide sensation release a stellar collab with one of music’s greatest bands alive. The formula is simple; transparent lyrics, soaring vocals, and a drop you can bop to. That’s it. “Like This” will easily climb the charts making the Chainsmokers one of the best EDM duo’s of all time.
“Stay (with Alessia Cara)” – Zedd
Cara’s vocals are easily some of the most unique in pop music today. Add in Zedd’s gift for mixing and the result is epic. Just as catchy as any Zedd song is, a female lead always tugs you in (“Clarity”, “Stay the Night”). Cara strongly sings, “All you have to do is stay, a minute, just take your time.”
“In The Arms Of A Stranger (Grey Remix)” – Mike Posner
His child-like voice follows a guitar strumming repeated chords as a subtle drop highlights the “woo”-filled chorus. The song is a beautiful sentiment bringing to light the memories of past love and the attempts to move on; “In the arms of a stranger, pretending its love, holding her closely, remember your touch.”
“It Ain’t Me (with Selena Gomez)” – Kygo
Kygo can do no wrong. It’s a fact. He has the tropical beats we all want playing on our spring breaks and summer vacations. “It Ain’t Me” is no different. Gomez sings the verses up and down in classic pop fashion. Choppy lyrics pluck through the chorus, something Kygo does best (listen to “Stay” off his debut album, Cloud Nine.)
“Slide” – Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, and Migos
70’s dance party meets summer pop; Harris is back in full force. Merging some R&B licks from Frank Ocean with light rap verses from Migos, the two blend together seamlessly. A steady vintage beat keeps the song flowing, making you wish for a dance floor under your feet and a glass of champagne in your hands.
Zedd’s second full-length album titled True Colors could be his most emotional yet. Almost every song features simple lyrics and of course the dance drop we’re all waiting for. Zedd pulls in help from vets like Selena Gomez and newcomers like Echosmith and Troye Sivan. That’s the cool thing about Zedd, he’s always willing to let other people shine on his music, whether they have a million fans or a couple hundred. He cares about the final product and not the popularity status. Zedd has perfected his own style as something I like to call Dalectropop. A fancy mixture of dance, electronic, and pop.
image via: concertfix.com
Songs like: “Bumble Bee” and “Addicted to a Memory” follow the harder side of dance music, while “Daisy”, “Illusion”, “I Want You To Know”, and “Straight Into the Fire” focus on storybook lyrics, impeccable vocals, and cohesive electro beats. The best thing about this album is the beauty heard in every song. True Colors is exactly what the dance world needed; to slow down a little bit and appreciate the power of dance/electronic music. It doesn’t have to all be “shake your ass and fist pump”, it can tell stories and provoke true emotions.
Zedd recently told Billboard magazine, “I’m just an album artist. There are singles artists and there are album artists. I don’t think i’m the guy to just be able to put out a song and be fully satisfied with that. Because that puts you so much more into a box.” Sounds like the words of a true artist, my friends. True Colors is meant to be consumed and heard as a whole. Every song has its own strength and weight to the album. A lot of people stereotype DJ’s thinking all they do is play on computers when really they are creating sounds and insane hooks that we normal people could never replicate. Back in December of last year, Zedd released a half hour documentary that explains his success with Clarity and gives more of a closer look into his life. Please watch:
Proof that this album is a continuous vat of emotion and beauty is heard on the final two songs titled “Daisy” and “Illusion”. The lyrics in “Daisy” set the scene for “Illusion”. “Daisy, always climbing up the same tree, finding love in all the wrong scenes, Daisy, you got me” are the words sung out of Julia Michaels mouth (also lends her vocals to “Straight Into the Fire”). This song illustrates the struggle of not knowing a good thing when its right in front of you. The innocence in Michaels’ voice helps the songs message of uncertainty and confusion with the concept of true love. Near the end of the song, piano chords start to play as the intro to the closing track “Illusion”.
This song is almost painfully gorgeous as Sydney Sierota, lead singer of Echosmith, sings, “It feels like the fairytale’s over, I really wanted these pages to begin, with once upon a time, like all those lullabies.” This is the song that makes you cry but also has the power to save you. The hook is “This love is your illusion”, which becomes a mantra you end up hearing yourself singing over and over in your head as Zedd takes over and creates an electronic symphony epically matching the vibe of the song. “Illusion” is absolute magic.
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