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Elements of Life

by DJ Tiësto

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Tiësto sticks to his guns on a new album of original compositions that follows 2004's Just Be. Elements of Life strikes a satisfying balance between inventive vocal tracks and signature trance stormers: "Ten Seconds Before Sunrise," "Driving to Heaven," and "Bright Morning Star" all glow with the Dutchman's epic sound, one that is simultaneously haunting and uplifting. On the vocal side, the soaring energy of "Break My Fall," which features BT on vocals, will not disappoint fans of the duo's prior work on "Just Be" and other collaborations. To be sure, there are a number of less convincing pieces as well: "Dance4Life" with Faithless's Maxi Jazz falls flat, and the lyrics of "Can You Feel Me" prove that the genre's reputation for banal wordsmithing is not entirely undeserved. For the most part, however, these weaker moments are outweighed by the stronger tracks. Principal among these is undoubtedly "Sweet Things"--in which Charlotte Martin's vocal high-wire act is complemented by some exceptional programming--a track that is sure to receive a great many spins by DJs around the globe and yet further proof that when it comes to bringing alive the female voice for the dancefloor, Tiësto remains without equal. All in all, it's a safe bet that many of Tiësto's Elements will be making their way into DJ crates and MP3 players alike. --Brent Kallmer