Tchami Answers Prayers with Debut Album ‘Year Zero’

Tchami exceeds all expectations with his debut album, Year Zero, that’s destined to make you raise your hands and praise all the goodness.

Tchami never fumbles the ball when it comes to creating blissful sounds and his resumeˊis pretty darn impressive. He produced not one, not two, but four tracks on Lady Gaga’s latest album, Chromatica. Talk about talent. And now, he’s continued to make such a big impact on dance music with the release of his debut, full-length album, Year Zero.

Back in April, he blessed us with the first two singles off the album, “Ghosts” featuring Hana and “Proud” featuring Daecolm, but while Tchami released the name of the album in May, COVID-19 ruined all plans and put a disappointing pause on the full release. Over the course of 2020, Tchami did drop an additional four singles including “Born Again,” “Rebirth” featuring Stacy Barthe, “Faith” featuring Marlena Shaw, and “Praise” featuring Gunna to keep his fans dancing to the beat.

Even though he has dropped a handful of gems, the singles are just the tip of the iceberg of what Year Zero has to offers. This album is a beautiful work of art. Tchami has a distinct music palette that goes beyond the norm, and Year Zero is a reflection of that. The love, energy, and attention invested in this album shows and I recommend that you listen from start to finish. Let’s jump right into my thoughts and feelings on Year Zero.

Listen to Year Zero on Spotify below, download or stream the album on your favorite platform! Keep reading on for my thoughts on the album.

Stream Tchami — Year Zero on Spotify:

Tchami shared that Year Zero is an “illustration of where I am right now as an artist and as a human.”

With that knowledge, it’s easy to notice that everything on Year Zero is intentional. There’s a level of vulnerability present and it feels as if we’re breaking into the exterior of Tchami. He possesses this divine ability to incite this spiritual connection in his music, especially if you’re open to it. And a handful of songs did just that.

Tracks like “The Light,” “Rebirth,” “Faith,” and “Proud” are extremely powerful in their own way. “The Light” kicks off with this melodic organ that instantly triggered precious memories of Sunday service from my childhood. You can feel the optimism in the melody as the song progresses with this soulful airiness. It’s truly magical. Whereas “Rebirth,” “Faith,” and “Proud come out guns blazing with compelling messages that incite an emotional reaction. Listen to the words and allow the music to guide you through the entire experience, especially with the sample of Marlene Shaw’s “Woman of the Ghetto” in “Faith.”

While I appreciate the various sides of Tchami, I couldn’t resist talking about the bangers.

We all know what he’s capable of in this area of expertise. Tracks like “Bueno Aires,” “Toxic Love” featuring The Suburban Plaza, “Monseigneur” featuring Tony Romera, and “Praise” will get you grooving on the dance floor. Each song possesses that future house touch and Tchami style that we all love and adore.

However, the best banger on the entire album is “All On Me” featuring Zhu. Disclaimer, I’m not the biggest fan of Zhu, but this song is the best thing since sliced bread. It’s dangerous, sexual, and hyper erotic. The pairing of Zhu’s sensual vocals blends like butter with the funky melody. I felt like Zhu was singing directly to me. I couldn’t handle the seduction. It was too much, but this pairing was a match in heaven. I’d love to see the two work together again on future projects.

The rest of the album is full of precious gems that deserve every ounce of your attention.

Prepare to stumble upon little treasures such as “Shine On,” “Sweet Savage,” “Damaged Hearts” featuring Todd Edwards, and “Ain’t That Kind of Friend” featuring Modesty. I labeled the following tracks as the right kind of vibe because of their easiness and impact. Tchami has superb taste in picking vocalists because every vocalist on the album elevates every song. Especially on “Ain’t That Kind of Friend,” the soul is unmatched! The piano melody is exceptional and euphoric. Tchami and Modesty shine like no other on this track in particular.

In closing, Year Zero sets the bar for exceptional quality. I’ve reviewed a number of albums in 2020, and this one is on the same level as Duke Dumont’s Duality. Both bodies of work are truly remarkable and deserve nothing but praise. Tchami exceeded all my expectations on this debut. His talent is unmatched! There isn’t a single song that I dislike or skipped. Every song is dynamic in its own way. Pardon my French, but Year Zero is a fucking stellar album. Do yourself a favor and bless your existence with this masterpiece.

Tchami – Year Zero – Tracklist:

Heartless (feat. Chace)

Proud (feat. Daecolm)

Toxic Love (feat. The Suburban Plaza)

Buenos Aires

Praise (feat. Gunna)

Shine On

All On Me (feat. Zhu)

The Light

Sweet Savage

Monseigneur (feat. Tony Romera)

Rebirth (feat. Stacy Barthe)

Born Again

Ain’t That Kind Of Friend (feat. Modesty)

Ghosts (feat. Hana)

Faith (feat. Marlene Shaw)

Damaged Hearts (feat. Todd Edwards)

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