Review Summary: The best is intentionally left out of the talented producer's debut
I didn't quite know what to expect from the young Russian-German producer's debut, particularly seeing as he had branched off into so many styles. The first fifteen or so minutes of 'Clarity' are composed of fairly similar tracks. Best described as big room house, these songs take the energy of electro house, and the melody of prog-house and blend them together, a la Swedish House Mafia and Calvin Harris. Over these tracks, various male and female indie singers lend their vocals. These ballads are sung through angst-ridden perspectives of adolescent love and alienation, perhaps reflecting Zedd's past as a metalcore vocalist. The problem with these otherwise amazing tracks is that, not only do they all sound the same, but they all the same the same as the album's eponymous lead single. However, after this track finishes, the album's sound changes almost completely. Suddenly, the whimsical melodies are over, and have been replaced by intense dubstep-inspired electro house, which builds to over five bass drops a track. As the album progresses, the two previous styles get mixed together, so that the audience's interest is kept throughout the entire album. This album was impressive and groundbreaking in its fusion of styles, however I feel like the best was left out. Zedd is know for his classical- and glitch-inspired production techniques, yet very little of this is seen here. I feel almost as though Zedd's sound was dumbed down out of fear that fans of the lead single would be turned off by his complex and ambitious production techniques that can be heard on non-album tracks. While the album was impressive, it could have been much more. Bonus tracks of Zedd's production for Skrillex, Empire of the Sun, and Hayley Williams, can be ignored.
