Review

David Guetta’s 7 is nothing if not ambitious. Clocking in at a sprawling two-disc, twenty-seven-track affair, the French DJ and producer attempts to straddle both the club and the contemplative, delivering an album that wants to be all things to all people. And while there’s no denying the man’s knack for a hook or a festival-ready drop, this release often feels like two different artists caught in a slightly awkward house-share. Disc one is classic Guetta: a parade of chart-seeking collaborations featuring the likes of Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Jason Derulo, and Anne-Marie. Tracks like “Say My Name” and “Don’t Leave Me Alone” are built for radio play and Instagram stories, with synthetic polish and relentless optimism. They do their job – polished, processed, pulsing. But there’s a distinct sense of déjà vu. It’s Guetta on autopilot, pressing the same buttons he’s pressed for a decade. Then comes disc two, billed under the alias “Jack Back” – a supposed return to his underground roots. This side is deeper, darker, and frankly far more interesting. Tracks like “Overtone” and “Pelican” show a side of Guetta less obsessed with the charts and more in love with groove and space. It’s not revolutionary, but it is refreshing – a reminder that beneath the pop veneer lies a DJ who cut his teeth on dancefloors, not just red carpets. The album’s split personality is its most curious trait. On one hand, Guetta wants to remain the king of EDM pop crossovers, on the other, he’s clearly yearning for credibility in the underground scene he left behind. The result is a mixed bag: one half a stadium-filling, feature-laden buffet of bubblegum bangers; the other, a sincere if slightly cautious dip into house music’s deeper waters. 7 is unlikely to convert any sceptics, but for longtime fans, it’s a reminder of Guetta’s dual identity – a producer who can command the radio and the rave. Just don’t expect any great revelations. This is Guetta, reasserting his dominance while testing the waters of reinvention, one drop at a time.