Forever

Recording information: Alefune Studios, Stockholm; Alesso Studios, Stockholm; Fly Eye Studios, London; Hotel de Sers, Paris; Metropolis Studios, London; Zu Studios, Stockholm.
Even if Alesso was late onto the ever-growing list of Swedish EDM DJs and producers, his debut studio album, Forever, successfully argues that his name should be pushed somewhere near the top on versatility alone. "If I Lose Myself" with OneRepublic is the expected pop uplift aimed at the dancefloor, while "Sweet Escape" with Sirena and "Scars" with Ryan Tedder are sweet-and-sour EDM vocal numbers that stick in the head. Not much new there, and yet "Heroes (We Could Be)" with Tove Lo is bold enough to just borrow from the like-named Bowie song and then build an entirely new number around it. A surprising amount of funky electro helps separate this groovemaster from the competition, and all of it is topped off by the amusing, eerie, and boomy opener "Profondo," a title for which the album's typesetter must have left off the word "Basso." ~ David Jeffries