‘ODYSSEY’ is ILLENIUM’s Most Sonically Diverse Body of Work Yet

ILLENIUM takes listeners on an immersive journey through multiple genres and emotions in his sixth studio album ODYSSEY.

Long associated with the rise of sadboi EDM, melodic bass luminary ILLENIUM’s music functions as a vessel for catharsis. Emotive vocals and charged lyrics, woven with soaring melodies and heavy production, form the foundation of his expansive sonic universe, which invites listeners to feel deeply and release those emotions in explosive outpourings.

His artistry and crossover appeal have allowed him to build a prolific career marked by both critical and commercial success, and Illenium is only continuing to grow now that his sixth studio album, ODYSSEY, is out on Republic Records.

“So much went into creating this project,” ILLENIUM said. “This album wouldn’t exist without the incredible artists who helped shape it. Every collaboration played a role in bringing it to life. This really is a shared journey, and I’m grateful to finally put it out into the world.”

After reaching a certain threshold of fame, many artists begin to play it safe by chasing trends or changing their sound in ways that dilutes the qualities that first made them compelling, often losing sight of their original artistic vision. Early in their careers, they often produce their strongest work, driven by pure passion, a willingness to experiment, and a desire to create without inhibition.

Illenium, however, has avoided this trajectory. Over a decade into his career, he has sharpened his songwriting capabilities, production skills, and creative voice. ODYSSEY is ILLENIUM’s strongest album to date, feeling more mature and evolved, yet unmistakably his own.

Homer’s Greek epic, The Odyssey, follows Odysseus as he returns to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Along the way, Odysseus battles mythical creatures, encounters Gods, loses his fellow soldiers, and returns home a transformed man. Playing into that classic, ILLENIUM tells listeners his own story, with each song serving as an individual chapter. Taken together, the 19 songs form an interwoven, continuous narrative shaped by vivid storytelling.

The titular track builds anticipation by setting a mystical scene as the album’s opener. “Fire hidden in ash / light concealed in shadow / to unveil the mystery of our soul is to recognize what has always been an odyssey to the truth,” conveys that, at its heart, the album is about self-discovery and journeying through the dark to deepen one’s understanding of oneself.

The closing notes of “Odyssey” bleed into “Into The Dark,” featuring Mako, forming a seamless transition that draws listeners into the heart of the album. Those deep, textured synths set a tense, immersive atmosphere, providing a sonic space for reflection. The repeated lines, “If they tear you away / I’ll follow / I’ll follow you / into the dark, light the way / I’ll follow,” cast the narrator as a steadfast guide, leading the listener through those dark places of their inner world. This song frames the album’s journey not as a solo endeavor, but as a shared voyage.

“Forever” with Tom Grennan and Alina, “Feel Alive” with Dabin and Dan Smith from Bastille, and “Take Me Back” with Dean Lewis are all quintessential ILLENIUM songs, defined by soaring melodies and anthemic choruses. Without vocals to share the spotlight on “Paris,” both his compositional and production prowess and his command of melodic bass are on full display.

However, ODYSSEY’s greatest strength is its refusal to be confined to a single genre; instead, ILLENIUM harmoniously traverses across diverse sonic landscapes. “With Your Love” with Ryan Tedder and “Love Is A Chemical” with Lauren Alaina immediately teleports listeners back to the golden age of EDM and progressive house, the songs powered by cascading builds that erupt into seismic, euphoric drops.

The intensity is then amped up in “Slave to the Rithm,” where Bring Me The Horizon frontman Oli Sykes brings his screaming vocals to a heavy metal-edged track. The second drop in “War” with Lø Spirit channels that same energy, hitting with relentless force accentuated by aggressive drums. While ILLENIUM plays a lot of heavy dubstep in his DJ sets, that sound only surfaces in his own music when collaborating with heavier artists. With these two songs, however, he explores these heavier genres entirely on his own, pushing the boundaries of his sound.

It seems like every dubstep artist has experimented with making drum and bass in the last few years, and ILLENIUM is the latest artist to hop on that trend in “Not Ordinary” with Kid Cudi. An acoustic guitar eases into soft, rolling melodies and melodic DnB beats, complementing Cudi’s vocals, and creating a song that serves as a mellower moment in the album.

Unexpectedly, ILLENIUM departs from bass music entirely and enters melodic house territory in many of the songs on ODYSSEY. Ellie Goulding and Norma Jean Martine’s vocals take center stage on “Don’t Want Your Love” and “Refuge” as the dominant attention-grabbers. Meanwhile, ILLENIUM’s production serves as a lush, supportive framework that enhances the atmosphere without overshadowing the vocal performances.

There is not a weak moment in this album. ILLENIUM’s ability to move between genres without sacrificing the album’s cohesion really shines in ODYSSEY, his moving lyricism and strong musicality acting as the common threads tying all these songs together.

Listening to ODYSSEY all the way through is like embarking on a sonic odyssey of your own, filled with exhilarated highs and doleful lows guided by the lyrics. Many songs capture the joys of life and love, from being transformed by love in “With Your Love” or escaping the mundane in “Not Ordinary.” Other songs, in classic ILLENIUM fashion, tug at the heartstrings — from yearning to change the past in “Take Me Back” to using war as a metaphor for a toxic relationship in “War.” In all these songs, the lyrics serve as a conduit for emotional resonance, bringing the music to life.

ILLENIUM ends the album on a positive note with “Ur Alive” featuring WYLDE. This song encourages listeners to slow down, take a breath, and reconnect with the simple pleasures of life. The lyrics acknowledge life’s struggles, but the repeated refrain “look around, don’t forget you’re alive,” reminds listeners to be present and feel gratitude for life. It leaves listeners feeling optimistic once the listening experience is over.

Listen to ODYSSEY on your preferred streaming platform. Tickets are still available to see ILLENIUM bring the album to life at The Sphere in Las Vegas via his official website.

Stream ILLENIUM – ODYSSEY on Spotify:

ILLENIUM – ODYSSEY – Tracklist:

Odyssey

Into the Dark (with Mako)

Forever (with Tom Grennan and Alna)

With Your Love (with Ryan Tedder)

Feels Like You (with Elley Duhé)

In My Arms (with HAYLA)

Don’t Want Your Love (with Ellie Goulding)

Slave to the Rithm (with Bring Me The Horizon)

War (with LØ Spirit)

I’ll Come Runnin’ (with Zeds Dead and Mako)

Take Me Back (with Dean Lewis)

Love Is a Chemical (with Lauren Alaina)

Feel Alive (with Bastille & Dabin)

Monster (with Emmy)

Refuge (with Norma Jean Martine)

Not Ordinary (with Kid Cudi)

Paris

To the Moon (with Alok)

Ur Alive (with WYLDE)

Follow ILLENIUM:

Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | SoundCloud | YouTube | TikTok