This year, Martin Garrix is in full rollout, chaining collaborations with top-level artists. First came ‘Repeat It’ with Ed Sheeran; then ‘Bizarre’ with Madonna for her album; and now it’s the turn of ‘Fireflies’, a song that brings together the four members of U2.
Although presented as a collaboration between Garrix and the Irish band, ‘Fireflies’ has been in the works for 6 years. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t sound particularly contemporary nor does it try to bring the universe of the Dutch DJ closer to that of U2. Quite the opposite: it sounds like a U2 song produced by Martin Garrix.
You can see in ‘Fireflies’ the care they have put into the production, for example in the guitar riffs of the verses, the crescendo towards the chorus or the subtle autotune that appears in Bono’s voice. It is also effective in its romantic tone, although it uses such familiar images as “born for the summer skies / the light that’s in each other’s eyes / fireflies.” It’s a nice song.
What is most difficult to defend is that this collaboration justifies its own existence. If ‘Bizarre’ found an obvious synergy between Garrix and Madonna, in ‘Fireflies’ the clash of two worlds is barely perceived. The result is even reminiscent of the stadium rock of The Temper Trap, declared heirs of U2’s sound, giving the curious sensation that the band ends up sounding like those who previously sounded like it.
Collaborations between artists with such different profiles tend to be more interesting when they force both to leave their comfort zone. It can be argued whether Coldplay’s EDM period left more setbacks than successes – ‘Something Just Like This’ was horrible – but ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ with Avicii was wonderful. ‘Fireflies’ aims for that magic, but ultimately plays it too safe.
