Déjà Vu (stylized as
deja-vu) is the fourteenth studio album by Italian DJ
Giorgio Moroder, his first album, after a 23-years hiatus, since
Forever Dancing (1992).
It was released on 12 June 2015, and features collaborations with:
Britney Spears,
Kylie Minogue,
Kelis,
Sia,
Charli XCX,
Mikky Ekko,
Foxes and
Matthew Koma, among others.
By the time
Giorgio Moroder released
Déjà-Vu, the world was as ready as it could be for his return.
His work on
Daft Punk's
Random Access Memories was the most vivid reminder of his influence on decades of dance music, but artists such as
Goldfrapp and
Chromatics ensured that his brand of atmospheric disco and synth pop was nearly as in vogue in the 2000s and 2010s as it was in the '70s and '80s.
Despite its name,
Déjà-Vu isn't entirely a blast from the past; instead,
Moroder splits the difference between making contemporary-sounding dance music and reviving disco. Sometimes he combines those impulses, nodding to his roots while shaping them into 2010s dance-pop: "Wildstar," which features
Foxes (who has also worked with
Zedd), is one of his best fusions of old and new.
He sounds most nostalgic on the album's handful of instrumentals, such as "74 is the New 24," which feels like a time capsule full of vocoders, arpeggiated synths, and windswept drama. However,
Moroder spends most of
Déjà-Vu collaborating with 21st century pop singers, a move that's both logical and risky.
Some of his most memorable music came from working with pop vocalists who had well-established personalities (or personas that he helped create), and that holds true for most of these songs.
On "Back and Forth" -- the closest
Déjà-Vu comes to greatness --
Kelis' commanding, just-gritty-enough vocals help
Moroder recapture and update the glamour and drama of his definitive work. "Diamonds" makes the most of
Charli XCX's frothiness on one of the album's most inspired pairings, while
Sia and
Kylie Minogue's respective contributions on the soaring title track and crystalline disco-pop of "Right Here, Right Now" are just as engaging. However,
Britney Spears' ultra-detached vocals on the cover of
Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner" add little to the track, and collaborations with
Mikky Ekko,
Matthew Koma, and Marlene aren't especially memorable. Despite its unevenness, at its best
Déjà-Vu is an entertaining return from a dance music legend looking to translate his style into something that isn't overly familiar.
Tracklist
1. 4 U With Love - 2:36
2. Déjà Vu
(Featuring Sia) - 3:20
3. Diamonds
(Featuring Charli XCX) - 3:31
4. Don't Let Go
(Featuring Mikky Ekko) - 4:29
5. Right Here, Right Now
(Featuring Kylie Minogue) - 3:30
6. Tempted
(Featuring Matthew Koma) - 3:21
7. 74 Is The New 24 - 4:01
8. Tom's Diner
(Featuring Britney Spears) - 3:32
9. Wildstar
(Featuring Foxes) - 3:47
10. Back & Forth
(Featuring Kelis) - 3:04
11 . I Do This For You
(Featuring Marlene) - 3:23
12. La Disco - 3:33
Performers
Technical
Notes
Released: 12 June 2015
Recording Location: Hot Closet Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Genre: Electronic Disco, pop EDM
Length: 42:08
Label - RCA Records
