There is always more to do: places to see, people to meet. This relentless pressure to keep moving forms the basis of DJ Seinfeld’s new album, If This Is It. At the heart of the record lies an inherent tension. As he admits, he has struggled to stay in the present. This restlessness has meant he has found contentment elusive despite his increasing success and popularity as one of Europe’s most exciting DJs and producers. While a constant drive to see what’s next has guided his career to date, he has only recently chosen to focus on the here and now.
DJ Seinfeld‘s latest work was born of an agreement with himself to live in the moment and be mindful of the present. Started in the same week that 2021’s Mirrors was released to the world, If This is It has proven to be a profound musical journey for him. Taking the pressure off and working on songs at his own pace meant he could focus on the present and address his tendency to romanticise the past. This release serves as his attempt to anchor himself to the moment, translating into a more acute understanding of his musical identity that feels hugely personal and unerringly authentic.
DJ Seinfeld establishes a keen sense of time and place from the outset on “U Can’t Come Home”. It’s a refreshing, airy electronic tune with a melancholic edge. Lyrically, it suggests a lingering detachment from the present: “I guess I forgot how to feel / There’s no more love in the space left to steal.” He explores the notion that home is as much an idea as a physical space; until you find contentment in that, it’s impossible to feel totally grounded. In contrast, the über-confident dance-floor filler “Quake” delights with its throbbing beats and layers of synths that dance around wistful vocal samples.
“The Right” sees the producer returning to the fruitful collaboration with Australian dance-pop duo Confidence Man, hoping to replicate the magic that produced their stunning 2023 single “Now You Do”. While it struggles to reach those heights, it is a fun, tongue-in-cheek dance number. However, in the context of the album, it feels like a bit of an outlier. It takes you out of the carefully crafted sense of time and place and may have worked better as a standalone single. Thankfully, the title track, “If This is It”, with its emotive, gliding piano line and reflective spoken word verse from London poet Dan Whitlam, reestablishes the mood.
“Turning the Page” is a more straightforward dance track. With its trance chords and garage beats, it threatens to really take off and go somewhere unexpected, but never quite fulfils its promise. “Of Joy” is much more effective. Taking much of what was good about 2000s trance, it builds to a euphoric apex. This slow build to an epic peak echoes the lyrical theme of working through vulnerability to open oneself up to the possibility of happiness. It feels like a very personal track for DJ Seinfeld and one that resonates deeply with the listener.
Striding house banger, “The Wave” gets everything right. Melding rumbling bass and blood-pumping beats with melodic, layered synths, it bursts out of the speaker. Sounding fresh and alive, it captures Seinfeld’s rare gift in making club-ready music with real heart and soul. “In the Morning” is similarly dynamic as he imbues the music with a real sense of drama. His meticulous approach is evident as he brings in gliding strings and textured synths that give it a darker, more emotive edge. Lyrically, it finds Norwegian synthpop artist Moyka wrestling with DJ Seinfeld’s relentless, often debilitating desire always to look ahead and never take stock of the present.
Stepping up the energy, “Everything U” maintains that layered approach but with a rapid, energetic beat that gives it a real sense of purpose. It’s clear why it was chosen as the album’s debut single, as it showcases his ability to imbue a club-ready tune with a pervasive sense of nostalgia. “Something That I’ve Never Known” sees him take a detour on a track indebted to classic 1980s synthpop. SG Lewis guides the whole thing to a shiny, pop chorus that quickly gives it earworm status. Again, it captures that quest for consistency that proves ever more elusive in a life spent on the road.
The more delicate “Our Mother’s Walk” immediately resonates with its shimmering guitar line and atmospheric synths. Written for his mother, it feels like both a letter of love and one of apology. There is a sense of remorse at not always being present. It’s an unexpected moment of emotional cleansing, but also one that feels as if this was always the destination all the previous introspection was going to lead to.
The closer ‘If This Is It’ (Lake Erie Mix) strips away everything from the title track to leave a fragile, emotive piano line inspired by a road trip through America. The sense of calm and tranquillity concludes the album beautifully, suggesting that DJ Seinfeld has finally achieved peace.
If This Is It feels like much more than simply a collection of expertly produced club tracks. By stepping back from his relentless touring schedule and living in the here and now, DJ Seinfeld has crafted a mature and profoundly moving piece of work. Musically rich and engaging, the music conveys a palpable sense of well-earned contentment that becomes increasingly contagious over time. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying the journey, If This Is It proves that sometimes the most important thing is to stop and look around.