The news came as a shock to everyone when superstar Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii, took his own life in April 2018.
Now, one year later, It is time to issue one last goodbye to Avicii and close a chapter no one would have deemed possible to close. It is time to say goodbye to a DJ that has touched more hearts than he could ever have imagined and to honor his legacy even further.
We can do so, as of today, we have the amazing opportunity to listen to his posthumous 12-track record “TIM”.
Before passing, Bergling left these tracks on “TIM” behind, some finished in its present form (“Heaven”), others only as bits and pieces that waited to be put together. Long-time collaborators who have often worked with Bergling since day one, have then been brought into the studio to complete the puzzle. They recalled their times working with the DJ extraordinaire in order to give the album the necessary finishing touches and make the songs just the way the producer would have wanted them to sound like.
“TIM” is on the one hand a rather introspective album that forces you to truly think about the words uttered, but it is also simultaneously encouraging you to dance and free your mind.
The record starts with “Peace of Mind” where the lyrics “Can I get a little piece of mind? I’m just trying to catch my breath” are sung over a light guitar string. It feels spooky and fitting at the same time to start the album with this track. Like a memorial, “Peace of Mind” pulls us deeper into Avicii’s mind, lyrically and sonically. The next track, titled “Heaven” hits even harder. Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who co-wrote the track with Bergling in 2014, sings “I think I just died and went to Heaven”. All of this is placed over a beat similar to Avicii’s big hit singles during the “True” or “Stories” era. The album continues that way: songs that appear on the first glance to be light and poppy, turn out to be confessional, asking for help, longing for someone to listen to them.
“TIM” does sound very much like Avicii, in a way we would not have imagined: it is a record that effortlessly blends different genres and comes full of sonic surprise, sometimes putting tropical house beats into the mix, other times African beats. It takes inspiration from 90s hip hop and even future house vibes. Avicii’s posthumous album smoothly blends his thoughts into a completed product that feels just as true to the producer as humanly possible.
Collaborators on this last project include Imagine Dragons, Agnes, Aloe Blacc (who worked with Avicii on “Wake Me Up”) and A R I Z O N A and was largely co-produced with the help of Vargas & Lagola and Carl Falk.
You can stream the album on Spotify right here:
Or choose your streaming or purchasing platform by clicking right here.
“TIM” is now available for purchase and streaming on the digital platform of your choice. It was released via Avicii’s imprint under Universal Music.
All net proceeds from the album will go directly to the nonprofit Tim Bergling Foundation. It benefits organizations that support mental health issues, suicide prevention and education, wildlife conservation and other issues that the DJ had an interest in and passion for.
What do you think about Avicii’s last record? Tell us about it and your favorite memories with the DJ’s music on Twitter @CelebMix.