BY AARON KREIN
Arts Editor
When people of our generation look back at the year 2016, The Chainsmokers will definitely be one of the musical acts that first come to their minds. Long gone are the days we referred to the duo by their viral hit, “#Selfie,” in 2014 and now look upon them as the top in the EDM pop game.
Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall have commanded the Billboard Hot 100 this year with three top ten hits: “Roses,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” and the current number-one hit in the country, “Closer.” After a long wait from their growing fan base, the duo have finally released a compilation EP of their latest hits with the addition of two new tracks. It’s the follow-up to their first EP, “Bouquet,” which was released in fall of last year.
The EP opens with “Setting Fires,” which features the brother and sister duo, Paige and Chase Duddy, who perform under the name XYLØ. The song tells of a lover whom Paige still has affection for despite having problems. However, she knows she can’t continue the relationship because he keeps breaking her heart.
The production has this Middle Eastern vibe, set to the standard finger snaps we’ve heard on hits all this year. It’s not their best work but it’s a tolerable track. However, I wouldn’t say it was the best way to begin the extended play.
Their latest single, “All We Know,” is next in line and features vocals from Taggert and Phoebe Ryan. The track starts off with this soft Lorde-esque delivery that builds up the chorus where the song shifts to a more mid-tempo direction. Both vocalists sing the whole track together and tell of how their relationship is always rocky but that it’s a part of the way they love each other.
The delivery of this general concept is refreshing since I’m used to tracks like these being more flashy and dramatic. P!nk’s “True Love” as well as Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love The Way You Lie” are two examples that come to mind.
“Closer,” undoubtedly their smash hit of the year, is one that teenagers and young adults will be singing along to in nostalgic ways for decades to come. When I listen to it, I immediately think of this past summer because the track was, and still is to a degree, inescapable. Unlike the last track, Taggert and featured guest, Halsey, have individual verses.
The song tells of an old fling that reignites again after “four years” unexpectedly and make out in the back of her car. The delivery of the chorus immediately latches listeners into an almost inescapable trance of EDM-fused pop bliss. With catchy lyrics and an earworm of a production, it’s not a surprise that the track has become so popular with the masses.
Interestingly enough, the song has multiple instances where they imply they can’t afford things they have, whether it’s the Rover, her tattoo or a stolen mattress. It’s seems like an on-going theme this year since the preceding number-one hit, “Cheap Thrills” by Sia featuring Sean Paul, dealt with the subject of having fun without spending money.
The following track, “Inside Out,” features Austrian pop star Charlee. Similar to “All We Know,” the track has a soft vocal delivery and production that seems born for mainstream radio play. Charlee sings of a man she is in love with who is hiding the “dark” parts of himself that she wants to see. It’s the kind of track you could see being used as a backing track for a love scene on a teen drama. Charlee’s vocals give the track this warm adorable feeling that makes it the better of the two new tracks on the EP.
“Collage” closes with the top fivehit, “Don’t Let Me Down,” featuring one of this year’s breakthrough artists, Daya. The 18-year-old Pennsylvanian sings over an infectious head thumper of a production of a man she loves that promised he would come to her whenever she needs him. The breakdown easily makes the track unforgettable and the buildup sucks you in like a musical black hole.
Since the track’s success took off, Daya has received her own attention for her solo work. Last month, she released her debut album, which featured the singles, “Hide Away” and “Sit Still, Look Pretty.”
Overall, the EP consists mostly of tracks we all know from extensive radio play but it’s definitely one for your collection. It’s the perfect background music for a road trip or a gathering with your friends. Although many fans are still awaiting a full-length album, this compilation is sure to be a way to tide them over until their official release.
