A decade after splitting up at the peak of their mainstream popularity, house music supergroup Swedish House Mafia returned to the scene with a massive comeback tour and a fresh album, Paradise Again. Technically their first official studio album, the set followed their early-2010s hit compilations Until One and Until Now -- home to global smashes like "Save the World," "Antidote," "Greyhound," and "Don't You Worry Child" -- which landed as electronic dance music stormed the mainstream. While the tracks on Paradise Again aren't as iconic or revelatory as those anthems, they're no less effective, hitting the emotional core and inspiring equal parts spiritual rapture (like on "Heaven Takes You Home" with Connie Constance) and visceral physicality ("Mafia" and "Frankenstein" featuring A$AP Rocky). Mainstream crossover hit "Moth to a Flame" is a standout, one of a handful of era-specific tracks crafted with their collaborator du jour and Coachella co-headliner the Weeknd, who included the trio's contributions "How Do I Make You Love Me?" and "Sacrifice" on his Dawn FM album. Additional guests Mapei, Seinabo Sey, Ty Dolla $ign, and 070 Shake also join the party, while a "Roxanne"-sampling "Redlight" credits Sting as a full-fledged guest. Beyond the immediate pop-friendly attention grabbers, Swedish House Mafia dig deep into their progressive house selves for extended journeys (like "Can U Feel It" and "It Gets Better") that should please purists. Clocking in at over an hour, there's enough here for all types of fans to enjoy and rejoice that the guys have returned.
© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo