There’s not a genre of music in the world right now that is growing as rapidly as electronic music.
Among its brightest stars is Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, who released his third studio album, _18 Months_, last week. For better and for worse, Calvin Harris is a perfect microcosm of the entire electronic genre.
_18 Months_ has no shortage of fun beats and catchy hooks. Hits such as “Feel So Close” and “We Found Love” highlight the album, and there are plenty of other tunes that could get the shyest kid at a high school dance onto the dance floor. It also features some great guest artists (Florence Welch, Ne-Yo and Rihanna are the most notable).
Unfortunately, Harris also displays the ultimate downfall of most electronic artists: a stunning lack of creativity. In a genre that praises originality, Harris shies away from anything but poppy dance beats. When he does try his hand at more intense tracks, they’re abbreviated and don’t flow with the rest of the album, leaving _18 Months_ as just another compilation of generic club beats without any sort of heart.