After almost a decade since a full length release (True Colors, 2015), Zedd’s third studio album, Telos is here! Jam-packed with powerful piano chords and melodies, mesmerizing synths and colorful drum patterns, it is a departure from the main stage festival bangers Zedd is known for but still pays homage to dance music. You can’t help but bob your head and swing your hips listening along.
Composed of ten tracks and clocking on just under 40 minutes, Telos is a cohesive body of work that has something for everyone. Each track features a different artist to accompany Zedd with vocals or production making a very dynamic album with techniques not often found in dance music. “Sona,” the album’s halfway point is an instrumental collaboration with the transatlantic folk trio, the olllam, and bounces back and forth between a 4/4 and 7/8 time signature. That is a difficult thing to accomplish in dance music and Zedd nails it, a testament to his tenured songwriting ability.
Zedd stays true to his signature sound on tracks “Lucky,” “Descensus,” and the album’s opener, “Out of Time.” Each contains emotional lyrics and tonality that pair well with the larger than life drops Zedd is associated with. The album does not lack groove, especially on the chiller “Automatic Yes” featuring John Mayer. Infusing Mayer’s iconic voice with Zedd’s pop-dance sound, this track is sure to please everyone and is sure to make people move on the dance floor.
In contrast to most of the album, Zedd dives headfirst into a darker, harder sound on tracks “Shanti” and “Dream Brother.” With gritty synths and eerie vocals, the two tracks turn the energy up to 11, providing a change of pace during the listening experience.
It was a long wait for Zedd’s Telos, but very much worth it. The album in its entirety provides a unique listening experience that doesn’t stray too far from Zedd’s signature sound but rather explores a new side to his production that listeners can expect to hear more of moving forward.
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