If the word “millennial” was to someday become sentient and start producing EDM music, it would become the third member of Andrew Taggart and Alexander Pall’s DJ duo, The Chainsmokers. After all, The Chainsmokers are a group that achieved their first breakthrough hit with an ironic song dedicated to selfies, literally called “#Selfie.” Music cannot get much more millennial than that.
“#Selfie” is an ugly song. Its lack of humor is matched only by its uninspired and predictable sound. It is hard to picture the duo behind the “masterpiece” that was “#Selfie” conquering anything other than simple tasks like how to operate a microwave or maybe an ATM machine. So, it came as a surprise when The Chainsmokers dropped arguably the biggest song of the year the platinum certified single, “Closer.”
Chances are, any listeners with a functioning set of ears has already heard “Closer” upward of a hundred times. Even if they are deaf someone has signed the words to the song to them at some point. “Closer” is that popular.
The track is undeniably catchy, with all the makings of a number one hit. The unstrumental is an inoffensive blend of mildly interesting synth and electronic sounds with a healthy dose of piano. The vocals shine as a pleasant duet between Taggart and featured vocalist, Halsey.
The two singers trade charming lines of sharing cars they “can’t afford” and stolen mattresses. The lyrics and alluring duet add a certain flare that sets the song apart from most of typical EDM fare. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the rest of the tracks on the duo’s EP, “Collage.”
The rest of “Collage” is just as easily digestible as “Closer,” but the rest feature slightly different danceable grooves, while remaining all too familiar. Each track features eerily similar female guest vocals, disregarding any real sense of individuality.
The problem with “Collage,” and The Chainsmokers as a whole, is that they are too formulaic. The differences between songs like “Inside Out” and “All We Know” are few and far between. Every song on the duo’s EP follows the same mindless routine.
The guest vocalists starts off quiet and reserved, their voice thick with forced melancholy. The songs slowly builds with a background of forgettable electronic elements. The music gets louder and louder and then there is a beat drop. Rinse, repeat.
The Chainsmokers are undeniably one of the hottest acts in music today. They make unelaborate dance music that makes people can feel good as they drunkenly grind on strangers while they pretend they are at some club in Ibiza. Their music is as shallow and modern as an iPhone battery after a few months of use.
Even if listeners find their music mind-numbingly redundant, at the very least they can respect the way the group has flawlessly filled their niche and knows what their audience will listen to.
