WHO IS HE? Swedish EDM DJ Tim Bergling, who helped bring dance music to the masses with hits like Levels and Wake Me Up, but tragically took his own life in 2018 at age 28 after years of mental health issues.
WHAT IS THIS? His posthumous third album, assembled by a roster of friends, admirers and collaborators like Coldlplay’s Chris Martin, Aloe Blacc and Imagine Dragons, who completed tracks Bergling was working on at the time of his death.
WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE? Dance music with depth — chiefly due to the lyrics behind tellingly titled songs like Peace of Mind, Heaven, SOS, Freak and Heart Upon My Sleeve (though it’s unclear how much input the admittedly poor lyricist Bergling had on the words).
WHAT WOULD BE A BETTER TITLE FOR THIS ALBUM? This one is just fine.
HOW SHOULD I LISTEN TO IT? While sitting still.
WHAT 10 WORDS DESCRIBE IT? Poignant, melancholy, desperate, moving, melodic, forceful, gripping, multi-layered, sobering, thoughtful.
WHAT ARE THE BEST SONGS? The soaring Heaven, voiced by Martin, is a standout. But so is the upbeat Freak (featuring Bonn), the pumping anthem Peace of Mind (with Vargas and Lagola), the dramatic Heart Upon My Sleeve (co-starring Imagine Dragons) and most of rest of this tragic landmark.
WHAT WILL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY? ‘Isn’t dance music supposed to make you happy?’
HOW OFTEN WILL I LISTEN TO THIS? As often as you can handle it.
IF THIS ALBUM WERE A MYTHICAL CREATURE, WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE? A Phoenix.
SHOULD I BUY, STREAM OR STEAL? Buy — profits help fund Bergling’s charitable foundation devoted to mental-health issues.
