ILLENIUM RETURNS WITH JARRING NEW ‘ASCEND’ ALBUM

Illenium’s first two albums have set the standards pretty high for the Denver-based DJ sensation. Ashes brought us to tears, Awake showed us how to love, and now Ascend gives us hope. Finding a home on Astralwerks, this inspirational collection dives into just about every element of the human experience. From themes of pain, to freedom, to love, Illenium allows Ascend to speak on his behalf as a man and as an artist.

As expected, the album has already had phenomenal reception. Immediately claiming a spot in the Top 5 of iTunes Overall Top Albums Chart, Ascend reaches far beyond the typical electronic music fan base. Its sound ranges from sweet and mellow to fierce and aggressive, with a hint of a pop twist. “I Care”, “That’s Why”, “Every Piece of Me”, and “Broken Ones” are among the tearjerkers of the mix.

Illenium enlists the alluring vocals of names like Anna Clendening, Kameron Alexander, and Georgia Ku to grace the album. One of the most notable collabs in the series, “Gorgeous” features singer Bipolar Sunshine and producer Blanke. It eases listeners in with an emotional build, transforming into a heavy, electrifying drop. This track definitely highlights the more menacing side of the album, along with “Blood” featuring Foy Vance, another intense take.

The album had been teased by multiple prior releases, including the passionate hit “Take You Down” as well as “Good Things Fall Apart” featuring Jon Bellion. Together, the string of singles from Ascend have accumulated over 270 million streams. It’s no wonder the anticipation for the full album was so excessive. Illenium has yet again delivered his fans with an absolute dream.

In its entirety, Ascend is a soul smashing compilation of sound that paints Illenium as a talented producer of both bass and dance music. He completely shatters your heart, and proceeds to glue it back together song by song. It’s delicate and smooth, yet hauntingly emotional. The artist has come a long way since his emergence in the electronic scene back in 2013. Today, he regularly averages upwards of 13 million monthly listeners on Spotify. A robust force on stage and in the studio, Illenium has become one of the most unstoppable names in modern dance music.

Take the voyage for yourself and listen to the full Ascend album below.

Ashley

I’ve been a part of the dance music scene for nearly a decade and with Exron for more than half of that time. My first event was Diplo’s Mad Decent but these days you’ll find me at Club Space or the Brooklyn Mirage. Some of my top artists are G Jones, Tipper, Of The Trees, and CharlestheFirst. My favorite genres are techno, experimental bass, and ambient but I’ll get down to anything with a beat!

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