Approximately 14 months since Avicii passed away, his posthumous album TIM is now out to the public. Featuring 12 new tracks and collaborations from Chris Martin of Coldplay, Bonn, A R I Z O N A, Imagine Dragons, Aloe Blacc and more, these are likely the final new Avicii tracks that the public will ever hear.
Listening to TIM with that mindset is tragically bittersweet. After all, it’s always easy to implant your own interpretations on an artist’s music after they’ve passed, especially if they’ve taken their own life. (Think Chester Bennington’s music with Linkin Park.) That being said, much of TIM is incredibly bright and hopeful with uplifting melodies and powerful writing.
Of course, the album didn’t turn out exactly as Avicii would have wanted, at least not one hundred percent. Most of the tracks on the album weren’t entirely finished at the time of his death, and were polished and completed based on directions he’d left behind by trusted production partners. It’s as close to the real Avicii as we’ll get, so we might as well throw out those thoughts of incompleteness out.
Along with previously released singles “SOS” with Aloe Blacc and “Tough Love” with Agnes, Vargas & Lagola, fans also get “Heaven” with Chris Martin, “Hold The Line” with A R I Z O N A, and my personal favorite, “Heart Upon My Sleeve” with Imagine Dragons.
At only 38 minutes, the album is over before you realize it and you’re left wanting so much more — another bittersweet realization at the end.