Tchami's Long, Long, Long, Long-Awaited Debut: Year Zero

Listening to “Adieu” for the 750th time, it doesn’t really do it for me anymore. After several collaborations with the likes of DJ Snake, Mercer, and Malaa, Tchami has finally released his debut album Year Zero, a classic house record with elements of R&B and disco, and it has fed my voracious appetite for new EDM in lieu of clubs being closed. The Parisian DJ found fame on the festival circuit. One of my first experiences of his music was at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, where he played a hard and energetic set far different than his recorded music, sandwiched between the likes of DJs like Hardwell and Carl Cox.While mainstream DJs like Disclosure have gone in noticeably new directions, drawing on world music and Afrobeat as templates for their new sound, Year Zero sounds more like a victory lap, an encapsulation of Tchami’s hit singles this and last year coupled with a few new tracks based in the house tradition that made him famous. Very much amongst the pantheon of great DJs in the 2010s, Tchami has released an exciting, dynamic album that I’ve found myself listening to over and over again.

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The music often draws out direct references to Justice and Daft Punk, especially on “Buenos Aires,” a chill raver that stood out among the album’s first few tracks. “Praise,” a song featuring American rapper Gunna, is by far and away my favorite on the entire album. The drop is addictive, and the driving bass makes it feel coincidentally like you’re driving in a Formula 1 race. “Praise” transitions into the groovy and funky “Shine On,” continuing a sonic motif from the previous song that make the transition almost seamless and unnoticeable. The “walking” beat is similarly addictive, and something found throughout the song. The electronic drums are rich and punchy, and in span of about 4 songs in the middle of the album are strung together quite flawlessly, from “Buenos Aires” to “All on Me,” featuring Zhu, an American EDM artist, that, if you read my last article, has put out some unbelievable singles as of late. “All on Me” adds elements of jungle to take the album to another place entirely, yet the album still feels like an unending dance party.

Over all, this album made me just as happy to be experiencing the explosion of great EDM music in 2020 just as much as it made me depressed that clubs are closed. What’s encouraging is the fantastic collabs on this album, which usually are done to make albums more commercial, often to their detriment (looking at you, Diplo). Tchami has kept up the momentum, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.

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