…not before you go-go.

single: “Wake Me Up!“

artist: Avicii

Swedish DJ Avicii shuffled the deck a little vigorously when he came up with this concoction: one-half acoustic self-discovery folkiness, one-half EDM bombast. It’s quite striking. And much like “Holy Grail” either half of the record is strong enough to be a fully developed musical thought on its own. Together, it’s an embarassment of riches.

“Wake Me Up!” grabs the chance to be just as intimately transcendant in its quiet moments, just as quality EDM is transcendant in its epic wall of sound. It’s a clever musical choice, much in the same vein as Diddy’s* “I’ll Be Missing You,” juxtaposing different musical styles in a breathtaking (get it?) way.

Aloe Blacc deserves a special mention for his bucolic yet sophisticated vocal performance which segues between the twang and thump of the record.

*I realize he wasn’t called that then, but he is now, so I’m calling him that.