Every one of these slight variations in sound do fit within the wheelhouse of Imagine Dragons, but that's only because the group takes pains to be able to fit onto every kind of playlist imaginable: rock, pop, electronic, soul - any popular sound that can be sculpted and shaped by a streaming service. "Only" shimmers with retro-synths that stir up the ghosts of new wave, "West Coast" stomps like early Mumford & Sons, "Machine" bounces to a malicious industrial throb, "Cool Out" glides along to a neon-lit groove.
In every album, Imagine Dragons pinpoints the lyrically power of music. The difference with Origins is, this blob sucks up a bunch of different sounds. Origins is supposed to be a new way of music for the band, within the sound, producers, Alex da Kid and Mattman & Robbin, focus on making direct sounds, the older albums really focus on the melodic parts of songs, Origins focuses on the bombastic sounds. Often, they're content patrolling their own backyard, relying on an EDM-inflected arena rock that consciously recalls Coldplay at both their sweetest and most urgent. From the dubstep vibes in 'Digital' to the cool summer jam of 'Cool Out,' the album is all over the place. The Vegas-based band is known for crossing genres, and Origins can barely be categorized at all. Dan Reynolds, Imagine Dragons lead singer, felt this album to be 'Evolve's sister, they had been working on it secretly. But despite their status as the top streaming rock band of the year, Imagine Dragons continues to get mixed reviews. The lead single is Natural produced by Mattman & Robin. Nominally a rock band - and they're more than comfortable pulsing to a big, banging beat - Imagine Dragons are deliberately amorphous, a blob rolling along sucking up anything in its path. News Added After the release of Evolve (2017), Imagine Dragons will be released their next studio album with brand new songs. Delivered swiftly after Evolve - it follows that 2017 set by a mere 17 months, practically a blip in the context of modern pop - Origins adheres to its predecessor's kaleidoscopic digital aesthetic.