It may have been a long time overdue, but German DJ/producer Zedd finally reached a commercial breakthrough with 2013's definitive dance hit, "Clarity". Its accompanying LP of the same title featured many tracks with the same dance-pop crossover appeal, no doubt aided by pop craftsmen like Ryan Tedder, Ellie Goulding, and Matthew Koma. For the next two years Zedd tirelessly promoted "Clarity" with concert tours and festivals, whilst helming hits for other pop divas such as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande. Such a full schedule makes you wonder if Zedd had the energy to take on the draining task of another album, but none-the-less, he has returned for a sequel: 2015's "True Colors". Since the era of "Clarity" just recently ended, it's not surprising at all to hear that its follow-up pretty much offers more of the same. Like last time, the album begins with a stripped down, pop-leaning interlude, giving guest artist Bahari a chance to shine before the grainy synths and pounding drum machines crash in around the two minute mark. From there, Zedd trades off between assaulting the ears with as many electronic sounds as possible and relieving the senses with a couple acoustic-driven ballads. So, he doesn't necessarily make any big artistic strides here, even if a couple songs are a nice refreshment of the EDM-pop that once dominated the radio in the early 2010s. Lead single "I Want You to Know" is by far the best, using Selena Gomez's vacant vocals to provide the essential hook, with Zedd picking up any slack with his restless studio tricks and techniques.
It's just too bad that he didn't expand on this blueprint further, because he instead decided to overwhelm the mind with too many contrasting ideas. He tries really hard to mix EDM, folk, pop, hip-hop, house, and rock, but this mix of genres is not presented with subtlety or cleverness; it's a blunt, full-frontal assault of naked ambition. It's so obvious that cuts like the guitar-lead title track or string-driven "Daisy" are meant to play to Zedd's musicality, that they lose some of their intrinsic charm. Attempts at self-empowerment like "Straight into the Fire" are admirable, but woefully fall aside when they run out of steam mid-way through the track. Ditto for "Beautiful Now", a would-be party jam for the couples on the dance floor, if it wasn't so stark in its minimalist approach. Indeed, "True Colors" suffers a great deal because of Zedd's self-indulgence, that even the best songs like the Echosmith-assisted "Illusion" are stretched beyond their limits and ultimately fatigue the listener. Now, this may have been easier to forgive had Zedd moved beyond his trademark synths and abstract, metaphorically saturated lyrics or put a new, different spin on the material. However, since much of "True Colors" welcomes "Clarity" comparisons because the same production stylings and influences (Daft Punk seems to appear in almost every song in some fashion), it doesn't offer either the artistic innovation or musical prowess it promises. Of course, Zedd puts enough vibrance in the sounds to prevent the trend of all the songs sounding like carbon copies of one another, and for what it's worth, he doesn't mask or obscure the strengths of his collaborators either. For all his commentary on the state of EDM in the mid-2010s, however, it's a slight disappointment to know that "True Colors" works best when enjoyable, upbeat dance pop that is at the fore. The slower, more contemplative songs become a jarring buzz-kill, making what should have been a successful sophomore sequel an overwrought and taxing one.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Addicted to a Memory 2. I Want You to Know 3. Beautiful Now
4.
Transmission 5. Done With Love 6. True Colors
7. Straight Into
the Fire 8. Papercut 9. Bumble Bee
10. Daisy 11.
Illusion
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