At the height of the early-2010s EDM boom, French producer
David Guetta pumped out hit after hit before the formulaic pop-singer-plus-big-beat combination became ubiquitous and repetitive. Even
Guetta began losing steam: 2011's
Nothing But the Beat and 2014's
Listen housed a handful of standouts, but the DJ seemed to be on autopilot. On 2018's aptly titled seventh set,
7,
Guetta entered a free-spirited, late-era comfort zone, making music for the fun of it instead of chasing another radio smash. On this celebratory album, tracks progress like a festival headlining set, building nicely before an unrelenting middle stretch that winds down the euphoria at the close of its 15 tracks. For revelers who prefer partying until the break of dawn, there's also a second disc of deep house delivered by alter ego
Jack Back, which returns
Guetta to his underground roots on a viscerally satisfying mix that ends with the massive
Chris Willis assist "Just a Little More Love." On
7's main showcase,
Guetta assembled another trademark roster of marquee talent from the worlds of pop and hip-hop. Up-and-comers like
Anne-Marie,
Madison Beer,
Saweetie,
Stefflon Don, and
Ava Max have their time to shine alongside
Bebe Rexha,
Nicki Minaj,
Jess Glynne, and frequent
Guetta muse
Sia, who delivers a pair of highlights on "Light Headed" and "Flames." Other standouts include Moroccan-Canadian singer/songwriter
Faouzia's turn on the epic, shiver-inducing "Battle," which soars atop her mighty vocals;
Justin Bieber's glittery "2U"; the urgent collaboration with
Black Coffee and
Delilah Montagu, "Drive"; and the booming "Like I Do," on which
Guetta,
Martin Garrix, and Dutch DJ Brooks blow the roof off the big room in one of
7's most overwhelming moments. Not since his breakthrough on 2009's One Love has
Guetta sounded as uplifted or invested.
7 is a pure joy to experience and a reminder that
Guetta is still a master of the genre. ~ Neil Z. Yeung