Telos

Telos, the third studio album by Russian-German electronic music producer Zedd, was released on August 30, 2024, via Interscope Records. Marking Zedd’s long-awaited return to the album format, Telos comes nine years after his sophomore album True Colors (2015), and showcases a diverse mix of collaborators from different genres and generations. With notable features from Bea Miller, Remi Wolf, Grey, the late Jeff Buckley, John Mayer, Muse, and more, the album serves as a sonic journey through introspection, emotion, and expansive electronic soundscapes. Zedd’s production skills are on full display, with co-production credits also going to Ellis, Grey, and Mesto, making this an immersive and genre-bending project.

The background to Telos began in late 2023, when Zedd posted a video on Instagram reflecting on his career and hinting at a new chapter. In the post, he described this upcoming album as his “most genuine and deeply personal” work. The year-long anticipation for the album was heightened in May 2024, when during his performance at EDC Las Vegas, Zedd revealed the release date in a memorable way—through skywriting, a bold move that captured the excitement surrounding the project. Shortly after, the album’s title and cover art were shared with fans via Zedd’s social media, igniting further buzz.

Telos begins with the lead single “Out of Time,” featuring singer Bea Miller, which was released on June 21, 2024. The single showcases Zedd’s signature style of emotive electronic music blended with Bea Miller’s powerful vocals, introducing listeners to the reflective and immersive nature of the album. Shortly after the release of “Out of Time,” Zedd teamed up with 5 Gum to produce an exclusive one-time show in a bodega in New York City, where fans got a first taste of unreleased tracks from Telos. The 5 Gum event created a unique buzz, with fans engaging in a scavenger hunt for a chance to attend the intimate performance.

“Lucky,” the second single from the album featuring Remi Wolf, arrived on August 9, 2024. It further amplified the excitement around Telos, featuring a blend of Wolf’s distinctive, playful vocals with Zedd’s sharp, electrifying production. The track exemplifies Zedd’s ability to mesh different sounds and energies, from pop-leaning melodies to vibrant electronic beats.

Spanning just 10 tracks, Telos is a concise but deeply impactful album. Songs like “Tangerine Rays,” a collaboration between Zedd, Bea Miller, and Ellis, and “No Gravity,” featuring Grey and Bava, blend ethereal atmospheres with hard-hitting drops, creating emotional peaks and valleys. The collaboration with the olllam on “Sona” introduces Celtic influences to Zedd’s electronic soundscape, while “Dream Brother,” a standout track featuring Jeff Buckley’s haunting vocals, brings a touching, posthumous connection to the late singer-songwriter. John Mayer also lends his distinctive guitar work on “Automatic Yes,” adding a touch of soulful rock to Zedd’s electronic palette. Muse’s contribution to “1685” rounds out the album with a dark, cinematic flair.

Telos is a sonic journey into the world of Zedd’s matured artistry. With each track offering a different mood and soundscape, the album explores new dimensions in electronic music while remaining deeply personal and emotionally resonant. It solidifies Zedd’s position as one of the leading figures in modern electronic music, bringing together a remarkable list of collaborators across genres and generations.