The Chainsmokers Transfer Away From Collaborations On New Pop Album, “So Far So Good”

The Chainsmokers are again from their hiatus as they launch their fourth studio album, So Far So Good, at this time, through DISRUPTOR/Columbia Data/RCA. The duo (or is it trio?) way back jumped ship from EDM into the pop world, however it’s clear they nonetheless use their historical past as producers of their work so it’s been laborious to definitively separate the 2 worlds. However on this album, they totally lean into the pop world as they work with producer Ian Kirkpatrick (Britney Spears, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Jason Derulo) and Whethan.

So Far So Good was created after the blokes “escaped to Hawaii with some associates and gave themselves permission to not create something in any respect in the event that they didn’t need to.” In an period dominated by algorithms and give attention to streaming numbers, there’s a good bit of privilege that comes with doing one thing so seemingly mundane as simply ‘getting away from all of it.’ It’s unlucky then that the ultimate product feels a bit soulless.

Plenty of reverbed vocals and glittery synths á la M83 or Owl Metropolis don’t do a complete lot to create a significant listening expertise for followers, despite the admittedly clear manufacturing. One of many new singles on the album, “Testing,” manages to cowl “Pure Creativeness” from Charlie & The Chocolate Manufacturing unit in its outro, preceded by lyrics like

Can I say I’ve misplaced myself?
Or wouldn't it be an excessive amount of for everybody at residence?
Can I say I’ve turned on myself
For all of the issues that I’ve finished and everybody I’ve wronged?

after which

Entrance a busta with some bab
Get that hoe for her fifteen

all coupled with some tacky synthpop and a hype hip-hop drop. It feels wildly disjointed; although, in case you weren’t paying full consideration to the music, it could truly be actually enjoyable.

Drew’s voice has gotten higher. Or maybe they’ve found some new vocal processing software program. It’s laborious so say. There’s actually some Random Entry Reminiscences affect on “Solo Mission.” However the lyrical content material from The Chainsmokers nonetheless suffers from the identical lack of world consciousness as the blokes who as soon as had the phrase “17.34 mixed inches” on their web site.

It’s not like each album has to say one thing new however even their hit single “Excessive” says Why? You solely say you like me whenever you’re excessive / It’s like we undergo the identical shit each evening which sounds an terrible lot like “Why’d You Solely Name Me When You’re Excessive?” by Arctic Monkeys, which got here out almost a decade in the past. Is it perhaps time to maneuver on from asking why love pursuits solely attain out once they’re underneath the affect?

Now, it’s three within the mornin’
And I’m tryna’ change your thoughts
Left you a number of missed calls
And to my message, you reply
“Why’d you solely name me whenever you’re excessive?”

There have been too many occasions EDM followers have requested why The Chainsmokers are nonetheless billed for headlining slots at EDM festivals. And up till this album, I’ve been capable of rationalize it with their admittedly high-octane and energetic units. However now, I simply don’t know.