Denny's Forest Blog (English): I've found a DJ called Avicii

Originally posted on: 20/03/2019

At this post, I decided to talk about what I've been listening to in the past months. And last year, in November, I've found Avicii. I was a bit late, but I've found him. I should say that listening to electronic music hasn't been in my daily life for so long time, even though, in the few last months of last year, I decided to try other music styles, so this is how I come to listen to Electronic Dance Music (EDM) through Spotify automatic playlists. Even though I've listened to so many songs, I liked a few of them and, among those, there was some music I liked just by listening for one single time, so I selected some DJs to listen a bit more, what means, listen to their discographies. That way I've found a special someone who I identify a lot with his songs, and then, with him too. It was how I've found Avicii.

About Avicii

Tim in 2013

Avicii was a young Swedish DJ whose real name was Tim Bergling. He started his career too young around 2008/2009 and had his first hit Le7els (YouTube | Spotify | Deezer) in 2011, later in 2013, he released his debut album True that became famous around the world through the two hits: Wake Me Up (YouTube | Spotify | Deezer) and Hey Brother (YouTube | Spotify | Deezer). Avicii was associated with the music genres Electronic Dance Music (EDM), Progressive House and Folktronic. He could play the synthesizers, guitar, and piano, also he was known for write melodies without having musical formation. His discography has 3 album studios, many EPs and a lot of singles. Avicii had participation in production and made remixes of tracks by a lot of artists. Among those tracks, there is A Sky Full Of Stars (YouTube | Spotify | Deezer) which Avicii has produced along with Coldplay, also he played the piano parts of this song and was the one in charge of the insert of the synthesizers. Unfortunately, in April, it completes one year of his departure: Avicii died for suicide last year. :(

"Stories", his last studio album

released in 2015

Even though Avicii had many hits worldwide, I've never listened to any of his songs this whole time. So, I've found him differently than other people who already knew his songs. His first song I've ever listened to and liked was the lesser-known single Fade Into Darkness (YouTube | Spotify | Deezer), then later, I listened to Without You [ft. Sandro Cavazza] (YouTube | Spotify | Deezer), coincidentally the two songs were from the same person, at the moment I noticed it, I decided to listen to Avicii discography like I did with Keane in the past. And it went like this: I liked the songs and the lyrics even more in a short time, manly his last tracks which have a style different from the beginning of his career. The piano grew more and more in Avicii compositions - something that I particularly love - and its style has shown up in his last album Stories, which made it one of my favorite albums.
I settled a strong bond with the songs from Stories because of the emotional content: being happy or melancholic. In my opinion, something that is more interesting about the Avicii songs is the melodic diversity which changes and is modified through each song listened in chronological order. I notice how the artistic expression has subjective influences, so when we change, our creations change too. I think is fantastic to notice it through music and with Avicii is something way more remarkable.

Short comments about Avicii: True Stories

Tim in 2017

I can't write about Avicii without mention his many conflicts through his career, performances, and his health problems along his course of being one of the most famous DJ in the world. Even though he seemed fine and didn't expose so much about himself, Tim had "struggles in life", in my opinion, it was demonstrated through his musical productions, his lyrics and the melodies he created. His documentary Avicii: True Stories brings up his personal conflicts and problems related to his career, although it doesn't have explicit emotional content, it's possible to notice Tim's distress, happiness, sadness, and anxiety through his speech, facial expressions, and behavior. Besides, his anxiety became part of his life more and more.
An interesting point is the demonstration of Tim's creative process: his way of composing music. He projected and then put effort to execute, he could say even how people should sing or play his music. Tim's musical compositions were grounded in the confidence of his own judgment about music, he introduced string instruments along with synthesizers, he connected different music genres, also created hybrid ones. That fact had a great impact on music, Avicii revolutionized electronic music. There are two important characteristics of Tim: his appreciation of every single musical note, and also, his hardworking perfectionist posture with his work. All of Avicii's process is fantastic! Because of his unique creative process, he was considered a genius by the people in his environment.

The last thing I have to say is the way he evidences the difference between "Avicii" and "Tim", at first it makes no sense because they refer to the same person. For him, however, they were totally different things, and he even claimed that people's image of "Avicii" wasn't the same as "Tim", who was shy, introverted and disliked being the center of attention. Besides, with time, those characteristics of him conflicted with his career and DJ's lifestyle, so that Tim hasn't liked to be in the spotlight.
For someone who becomes interested in Avicii: True Stories, I've found an interesting analysis published in December 2018 in The Guardian, also have the director's comments: "'It will kill me' - Behind the devasting Avicii documentary".
To finish, I conclude and affirm that Avicii or Tim Bergling became someone so important to me in a short time, his compositions can touch me deeply in a way I've never seen before, mainly because of the lyrics and the melodies that give me so different feelings. I created a strong bond not just with his music, but also with him, the person he was. We're so similar to each other in many ways. I feel so much sorry about his departure and feel so sad for finding him later...
As always, I share one of my beloved songs in the end: