Ever experimental, Guetta
transports his collaborators to previously unexplored sonic spaces all
throughout Nothing But The Beat. On “Sweat,” for instance, Guetta remixes one
of his most prized DJ records as a stark, synth-heavy electro-hop track that
spotlights Snoop Dogg’s strikingly sleek vocals. Elsewhere on the album, guest
artists match Guetta’s ingenuity with their own brand of
beamed-in-from-another-dimension whimsy and weirdness. Just as “I Can Only
Imagine” alternates shimmering, buoyant beats with wildly skidding synth, the
track continually trades off Chris Brown’s warm melodies with the lyrical
mischief- making of Lil Wayne (whom Guetta dubs “a big genius”). And on “I Just
Wanna F,” Timbaland and Dev play a deliciously dirty version of the alphabet
game while Guetta lays down a densely textured groove that makes this
futuristic fever dream one of the album’s most irresistible moments.At the
heart of Nothing But The Beat is a selection of soul-stirring songs that reveal
the spirit behind Guetta’s gorgeously crafted beats. With all the passion and
power of an old-school dance anthem, “Night Of Your Life” shows off Jennifer
Hudson’s heavenly voice and remarkable range. On the slow-building “Without
You,” Usher opens with achingly vulnerable vocals that soon swell into a
soaring, sweeping performance ultimately backed by delicate piano work. “It’s
possibly the biggest track on the album,” says Guetta of “Without You.” “It’s a
monster—so big, so emotional.” In a one-two punch, Guetta follows “Without You”
with the equally wistful opening moments of “Nothing Really Matters”—then turns
it all around and elevates the Will.I.Am-led track into an escapist party jam.
“I love playing with both worlds,” says Guetta, noting the bold disparity
between the “crazy electro-beat and the super-sophisticated string arrangement”
on “Nothing Really Matters.”Listen song here:YouTube
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