ILLENIUM is one of the most talented electronic musicians of the recent years, and his sound is undeniably iconic. You could tell if a song is his from a mile away. Mix that with one of the best pop voices and there is no chance that it doesn't end up being a banger. Good Things Fall Apart is one of the best electronic pop songs of the decade (for me at least), and it is both a sonic euphoria and a sentimental, cathartic experience.
This song has one of the best blend of musical textures that ILLENIUM has ever put together in a song. I love that the song is built around an acoustic guitar riff, what we hear in the intro. Acoustic guitars are great at evoking a rawer and stronger emotion while still remaining calm, which helps increase the emotional aspect of this song without compromising the energy dynamic of the song. Of course, Jon Bellion's voice on top of that injects an essential expressiveness to the sound, one that leads the genuinity of the song throughout.
The chorus is absolutely where this song shines. It has one of the most explosively vibrant electronic sounds coupled with one of the most catchiest chorus hooks ILLENIUM has to offer. The vocal harmonies and electronic elements building up to it is perfect, and the mixing they did on his vocals is just perfect. The reverb-y, layered vocal stack embodies such a heartfelt tone that really genuinely feels like a heartache song.
The verses and pre-choruses are nothing too special, but they do the job well of filling in the blanks in the storyline. I always love oddly specific story details in lyrics, it makes it feel less generic and, in turn, more personal and unique. Many a great song capitalises on sentiment by paying attention to expressiveness and energy, which even electronic elements are capable of. ILLENIUM is definitely a master at it, expertly crafting the soundscape to complement the voice.
As with most great pop songs that I rate highly, it usually boils down to personal sentiment. This song got me through a bad time and the message was comforting. Nowadays it has an unmistakable tinge of nostalgia for me, despite how recent it is, but with days like these anything goes. I love coming back to this song every now and then, it's made its mark on my heart.
Rating: 5/5
