If there is one thing that can get you on your feet when you listen to Afrojack’s debut aural offering, it’s the voices he’s recruited for the album. Dutch music producer and DJ Nick van de Wall, commonly known by his stage name Afrojack, is out with his first full-length record with the spotlight on .
Forget The World comes with an anthemic vibe, full of hope and a message not just to his fans, but to himself, “to always remember to keep following your heart, keep following your path, and never try to let the things around you get you down.”
Though some of the songs miss out his trademark explosions and monster melodies, Afrojack scores in this 12-track compilation in collaboration with various artistes. Steeped in the anthemic vintage dance pop that EDM has become familiar with, Afrojack recruits a range of superstars to share stage in every track, from Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa to Wrabel and Sting (Yup, even the legendary Sting).
‘Ten Feet Tall’ immediately sets the pace with an upbeat rhythm and Wrabel’s ethereal vocals. This track is bound to get you grooving to the atmospheric presence – a must listen for every EDM lover. Matthew Koma adds more magic to the album in ‘Illuminate’, a powerhouse trance compilation bordering on eccentric enlightenment, if you follow the lyrics.
‘Born to Win’ feat. Tyler Glenn is easily a favourite because it leaks the distinctive dance vibe soundscape that Afrojack is familiar of painting on his decks. ‘Freedom’ does exactly the opposite with the standard build, drop, repeat meter of typical EDM. The track is saved by Jack Macmanus’ tenor vocals adding life to the beats.
Changing course, ‘The Spark’ kicks off with an almost country kitsch guitar solo that builds a tempo-ridden compilation with Spree Wilson. It’s easy to see why Afrojack is so good at what he does as you move your body to the eclectic mix he adds to Spree’s feel-good vocals as you feel coerced to sing along “We all got the spark tonight”.
The loner in the album and easily the best track is ‘Dynamite’, obviously because it features Snoop Dogg. The song is an acid-tinged electro rattle that’s propulsive and catchy enough to keep the album alive in the mid-section. ‘Too Wild’ and ‘Three Strikes’ pass by without much ado. Sting adds his seasoned touch with ‘Catch Tomorrow’. Though the standalone accolade to the spirit of living is clichéd in every way, Sting waves his wand and pushes the ambient track to new magical heights leaving no doubt in his fervent appeal to “Catch Tomorrow”. Soft and mellow ‘We’ll Be Ok’ is a transient memory and does nothing in the emotional sense.
‘Mexico’ also fails to wake you up from your stupor despite its rousing expressions. However, album closer ‘Keep Our Love Alive’ with Matthew Koma gets you back on your feet. Wise to finish with another anthemic present, Afrojack teams up again with the contemporary vocalist as the song blazes “We Will Survive” to put an end to a mashed-up compilation of tracks.
Forget The World comes living up to its name a long way off the mark it set to accomplish. And you got to watch out for explicit lyrics. But it’s worth the listen if you just want to shake a leg and groove all night to standard Afrojack soundscape.
