Most people probably recognize the name Steve Angello as being one-third of the massive EDM outfit Swedish House Mafia. But for the last four years, he's been going at it alone, both as a solo artist and for his imprint, SIZE Records. While the release of his 2016 debut album Wild Youth should have signaled a new beginning for Angello, it appears that he's spent the last year going through his own reinvention, which culminates in the release of his next album, Almost Human.
Almost Human, which is set for release sometime before the end of 2017, is being released in three "acts": Genesis, Inferno, and Paradiso, three "universes" that symbolize the three stages of Angello's new live show. After enduring a spiritual awakening (we're told he walked into a local church and sat for five hours, taking everything in), Angello rethought the way he operates as an artist and re-envisioned his performances. Out today is Inferno: Act II, which features a massive collaboration with Pusha T entitled "Freedom."
If the pairing sounds weird to you, it shouldn't. Pusha T's put his stamp on electronic bangers from YOGI, Chase & Status, and Tiga, among others, and the intense "Freedom" finds Pusha going ham, opening the track with a chant of "America's ours." The cut is different from what you've heard from Angello before, getting a bit darker and harder, but it works...well.
"When producing the track for 'Freedom,'" Angello recalls, "I knew I wanted the sound to be darker and grittier than the rest of Almost Human. I've been watching all of the horrible things that have been happening around the world and needed to express my frustrations through music. I have always been a big fan of Pusha and knew he'd be able to deliver a great performance, so I sent him the track and my concept and he went in and nailed it."
The track feels like the soundtrack to the revolution—or at least, what you'd play when shit truly hit the fan. You can stream "Freedom" in full up above, and check out the flipside "I Know" down below. Keep it locked to Angello on Spotify for the latest tracks from his opus Almost Human.
