Fans of the late DJ and producer, Avicii , will remember his music as beautiful and uplifting. His posthumous album TIM is no different. Avicii, real name, Tim Bergling, killed himself at the age of 28, when the album was roughly two-thirds finished. Consequently, a carefully-chosen group of producers were given the challenge to complete the late Swedish artist’s album after last spring’s tragedy. Here is the breakdown of several of his album’s songs that stood out:
Peace of Mind
“Peace of Mind” Feat. Vargas and Lagola, is eerily poignant and melancholy in tone. With lyrics such as “Dear society, you are moving way too fast,” and “I’m just tryin’ to catch my breath, Can I get a little peace of mind? And a little bit of silence to unwind?,” they seem to speak of Bergling’s struggle with mental illness and death, the theme of his album. Before his passing, Avicii had suggested this track to be the intro track. Sure enough, his wishes were honored.
Heaven
Coldplay lead singer, Chris Martin, lends his vocals to Avicii’s dreamy dance track “Heaven.” This track speaks of the afterlife, with wistful lyrics: “You pray ’til, You pray ’til the lights come on, And don’t you feel like you’ve just been born?” Stylistically arranged and structured similarly to Coldplay’s “A Sky Full of Stars,” this track’s bright and bold melodic notes give this song an uplifting, heavenly feel.
S.O.S.
“SOS,” the lead first single from Avicii since his tragic passing on April 20th, 2018, speaks volumes with its heartfelt lyrics. The track features singer Aloe Blacc, best known for his singles “I Need a Dollar” and “The Man.” Aloe Blacc was no stranger to Avicii’s work, having sung on his previous tracks “Wake Me Up” and “Liar Liar.” This synth-heavy track details some of Avicii’s personal struggles with drug usage and love. “Can you hear me, S.O.S., Help me put my mind to rest” are lyrics eerily crying for help. They seem to speak a reflection of the artist’s dark mental state.
Tough Love
The next track “Tough Love” was the second single of his album TIM. This tune has distinct Middle-Eastern vibes, with the beginning of the song a whirlwind of vivid violin notes. The song features Vargas and Lagola, frequent collaborators with Avicii. They had also provided vocals for his track “Friend of Mine” in 2017. Following that, they had also helped co-produce some of his other tracks, such as “Hey Brother” and “You Make Me.” “God knows I try, we stumble and we fall, There’s no place I’d rather be than in your arms,” are lyrics that depict two lovers’ ups and downs. The song speaks of the struggles they go through and their tough love for one another. Avicii was inspired from his trip to the Middle East, and fast-paced violin notes reflected the vibes he felt.
Freak
The eighth song off Avicii’s posthumous album, “Freak” was only partially finished by him, but was not completed due to his sudden tragic death. The song was then completed by Von Bahder and Albin Nedler. Swedish singer Bonn provided vocals to keep the track to keep it as close as it could be to the original version.
With bird-like twittering notes, this song has a very unique styling. “I don’t want to be seen in this shape I’m in, I don’t want you to see how depressed I’ve been, yeah” seems to be a depiction of the artist’s struggle to cope with his own internal darkness. The song lyrics speak of the author having feelings for someone else, presumably a significant other. Defensive lyrics like “Who the fuck are you to judge me?” also touches on judgement they have and how they are not perfect. Although this track has very brash lyrics, the bright tone of the song seems to be somewhat oddly contradictory to the theme of the track.
Never Leave Me
“Never Leave Me” was in fact, the last song ever written by Tim. Albin Nedler and Kristoffer Fogelmark were staying at Tim’s place when this song was produced, two days before he would sadly pass away in Oman. “She banishes all my demons, So easy, like breathing, She bandages all my bleeding
She knows how I love her” are lyrics that describe someone’s love and care for a person that helps them immensely. The bright island vibes and synth-pop styling of this track tell a story of a sweet, sweet love.
Fades Away
The track “Fades Away” is the last song on the album. Carl Falk, co-producer of the song and a good friend of Tim’s was looking for a vocalist. He felt strongly it had to be someone who knew Tim and had worked with him in the past. Consequently, he chose Noonie Bao. Noonie had her musical breakthrough with her vocals on Avicii’s “I Could Be the One” in 2012.
The song starts out simply, just a plain melody played on the piano. Noonie’s wistful vocals chime in with “All of the troubled times that we have overcome, All of the trials to find somewhere that we belong.” The track then picks up in tempo, and quick strains of the violin move this track along, before going back to a quieter, more somber tone. “And I can’t go back, and I can’t go back, Don’t you love it? How it all, it all just fades away” are words that strike a bittersweet chord within the listener. Surely, one can’t help but cry at the raw emotion in this track.
Final thoughts of the album
This album is the most pop-sounding of all his albums. It shied away from typical EDM riffs; and instead, contained gentler melodies with intimate, heartfelt lyrics. Perhaps because this album was the last one of his, it seemed to speak volumes of what the artist was going through. Avicii’s clear talent shines through each track. The deep messages resonate within the listener, as sincere lyrics depict the internal struggles of the artist’s life and love. There is a remarkable depth about the album that stems from Tim’s frankness about his struggle with his personal demons. Indeed, the album Tim comes across as strangely poignant, yet beautiful.
His legacy
The Bergling family have been working hard to create a legacy for Tim. They launched the Tim Bergling Foundation. Subsequently, using Bergling’s wealth, they worked with charities that were dedicated to suicide prevention and mental health issues. This album is part of his legacy, with all net proceedings going to the foundation. Avicii’s loss left such a staggering hole in the EDM world. Undoubtedly, with his talent and how he influenced the industry, he will never be forgotten. As one of the pioneers of EDM, his music will live on in our hearts forever.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Related keyword: Avicii Wake Me Up
