Hardwell has once again been chosen as the #1 DJ in the world by DJ Mag for the second year in a row. He recently released a new single called “Young Again” featuring Chris Jones. “Young Again” is one of two songs Hardwell has released to get people hyped for his upcoming album, United We Are, which should be released early in 2015. This song is yet another hit coming from Hardwell, although it’s a little different from his previous work.
So I’m used to hearing things like “Apollo,” “Spaceman” and “Encoded” from Hardwell. Lately, he’s been releasing more mainstream-sounding music, like “Dare You” which could be compared in style to his newest song, “Young Again.” He’s definitely starting to include more vocals in his music, which “Young Again” has a lot of. I think Chris Jones’ vocals are a perfect fit for this song; he’s got a rugged sound and it fits in nicely with the lyrics and the overall sound of “Young Again.”
When I first heard this song, specifically the beginning, it reminded me a lot of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up,” with the strumming of the guitar and Chris Jones’ scratchy voice. However, once you get into about the first minute of “Young Again,” you hear Hardwell’s unique style. It’s got that explosive drop that can only be done by him, and you will definitely want to dance to this one. It’s perfectly catchy, has good buildups, and would be a great song to jam to at any music festival (especially if Hardwell is the one playing it).
A lot of people argue that house music is stupid or has no meaning to it in regards to the words, if it has any words at all. Well, take a look at the lyrics for this song and maybe you’ll reconsider that thought: “I wish I could see the world again through those eyes / Will we ever feel young again.” The song talks about the way children see the world, the imagination that every kid has and how he wishes he could be young again to have that perspective on the world. You really can’t say this song has no meaning. It’s kind of beautiful, really. One thing I applaud Hardwell for in his venture into songs with vocals is the meaningful lyrics he incorporates into them, not just meaningless words jumbled together to make sentences.
All I know is, I’m looking forward to hearing the rest of Hardwell’s album when it’s released next year. I can’t wait to see how his other songs turn out, and if he’s still going to be playing songs that sound like his older stuff. Either way, I’m a fan, mainstream or not.