“Everything we hear is him, actually playing.” -Kristoffer Fogelmark
Since the release of “SOS,” co-songwriter and co-producers of Avicii’s first posthumous single- Albin Nedler and Kristoffer Fogelmark- have exposed the roots of the track and how they were able to make it possible. In a seven minute YouTube video that was recently posted to Avicii’s channel, Nedler and Fogelmark humbly reflect on the making of “SOS.”
“It’s crazy if you think about it, that we could keep it the exact same way he played the song.” – Nedler
It can be a cautious process when releasing music following an artist’s passing. Maintaining the raw elements of Avicii’s inventiveness was the key principle for formulating this new song. Knowing that “SOS” preserved his creativity is something that fans like myself can truly admire when listening to it.
Nedler and Fogelmark go back to the seeds of the song’s melody, by showing viewers the exact notes that Avicii built together when he originally started making the song.
The soulful track starts off slow and composed, and immediately begins to unwind with sharp, animated beats. As the melody follows, it sustains those lively keys and produces an entirely different energy from the beginning of the song. Referring to this jump in the song, Nedler says,
“It’s such a shock when that melody comes, it’s like it comes out of nowhere, and it’s a really cool edition to the song.”
To any song, it’s undeniable that the melody serves as the most vital aspect. Nedler and Fogelmark kept this in mind when piecing “SOS” back together. Considering Avicii’s most unembellished contribution to the track were those notes pulled straight from his MIDI information, the final product of “SOS” was able to accurately exhibit his original intuition for the song. For this, the two are applauded for gifting listeners with that distinct Avicii sound that we all know, and continue to love.
In the same YouTube video, vocalist of the track, Aloe Blacc, who holds ties with Avicii through his feature on “Wake Me Up,” recognizes this as he says,
“Everything that you hear on this version was [Avicii’s] vision.”
Most importantly, Blacc shares his insight on the meaning behind “SOS,” and reflects on what Avicii’s message for the song was. He says,
“I feel like ‘SOS’ was a song that was probably ahead of its time for when [Avicii] wrote it. He wrote these lyrics obviously about some of his battles… it gives people the words to be able to say ‘I need help.”
Following this YouTube video of the collaborators’ story behind “SOS,” another video was posted to Avicii’s channel. This one, being titled, “Avicii- SOS (Fan Memories Video) ft. Aloe Blacc” showcases the countless impacts Avicii has had on the lives of his listeners, allowing us to remember his legacy. Here are some of the fans’ responses:
“Thanks Avicii for your music and the power, the energy and the good vibes you gave us with it! You will be forever missed but mostly forever loved- therefore never forgotten.” – from Claudia
“While you may be gone, your music has left a spark behind that inspires, excites and brings out the best in us.” – from Chris
“Your music will never leave my soul. Your music will forever be infinite.” – from Daisy
If you haven’t already, take some time to cherish, and most importantly remember Avicii today by listening to “SOS” on Spotify:
