2014 has been dominated by two things for David Guetta: the first he doesn’t like to talk about and involves him splitting from his wife and manager of many years, and the second, his follow-up album to 2011’s 'Nothing But the Beat', he has talked about a lot.
Over the past year and more the French dance pin-up has been promising something completely different, and reports have even claimed its release has been much delayed owing to his insecurity about the brave new project.
“I’m not that nervous,” he reckons. “I’m in anticipation, but very excited. I want this to be a statement album. You work on something personally for three years and then have to share it. That’s a challenge. The first playbacks in New York were amazing. In the Hendrix studio… heart open. It’s so much more than drums and a bassline: this is my soul on the floor. It’s the most personal record I’ve ever made, so let’s see what rolls. I’m proud of it whatever. Now it’s up to the people.”
In the meantime, one of the biggest current draws in dance music has also managed to slip out a few high gloss, arena-filling EDM anthems to keep his baying crowds happy. First there was a remix of Avicii, then a collaboration with Showtek, then a remix of Afrojack as well as new tracks like ‘Blast Off’ with Kaz James and a four-track EP, 'Lovers on the Sun'.
“I never stop,” he says when reflecting on his year, which has seen him top Beatport charts three times in a row and hold down a residency at both XS in Las Vegas and of course F**k Me I’m Famous at Pacha in Ibiza, often flying directly from one to the other. So too has he continued his work with the UN for their World Humanitarian Day campaign, as well as squeezing in album writing time in LA, on the road and “all over the globe”.
Due for release on 24th November on Big Beat/Atlantic, the song-based LP, 'Listen', is reportedly a complete evolution for the floppy-haired Frenchman.
“It’s a massive challenge to re-invent yourself every time,” he says of the process. “I have developed a new sound and created music in a way I haven’t done before. Instead of creating beats first and then writing songs, I wrote songs with piano/guitar/voice, then produced them… so a more classical way.” All that remains, then, is for the world to 'Listen'.
