Hardwell, the dance music legend, returned to the Ultra Music Festival main stage in Miami on Sunday night, closing out the iconic dance music festival with a blistering performance. Following a nearly four-year hiatus, the celebrated figure delivered one of the most anticipated comeback performances in electronic history, complete with a set of new music, the announcement of his new solo album REBELS NEVER DIE, and a world tour. Hardwell unveils his first two singles from the new 14-track album – ‘BROKEN MIRROR‘ and ‘INTO THE UNKNOWN‘ – as part of a cascading water-fall release plan.
The opening tracks from his Ultra set, ‘BROKEN MIRROR’ and ‘INTO THE UNKNOWN’ personifies this new chapter in Hardwell’s career. REBELS NEVER DIE marks a critical point in the musical transformation of one of electronic music’s most well-known stars, with lead tracks symbolizing the album’s fabric.
The haunting delivery of ‘BROKEN MIRROR,’ which features a ticking clock and Hardwell’s voice, is a cinematic nod to a darker sound. His monologue, accompanied by a dark metronome tempo and industrial chimes, lends an eerie dystopian feel to ‘BROKEN MIRROR.’ Hardwell unleashes a powerful statement that touches on his reflective mindset, building and swelling with intensity before reaching an apex.
I know you have your opinion. But let’s be honest…Your opinion of me does not define who I am. Because I know what you want me to be. Now, I’m gonna show you who I truly am. – Hardwell
The counter release in this double-headed single drop is ‘INTO THE UNKNOWN,’ which contrasts with the spoken-word lead single. The first single that had the world standing up and paying attention during Hardwell’s Ultra Miami set was a solid dance floor-oriented cut. A piercing techno release with abrasive, ripping swaths of synth and oscillating melodic arpeggios. Hardwell’s creation with ‘INTO THE UNKNOWN’ is a menacing addition to the stadium-techno genre, fusing an otherworldly female vocal with ominous goosebump-inducing tension.
While Hardwell’s return to the Ultra mainstage on Sunday was not without the classic high-octane status that has defined his career, his closing set marked the start of a new era for the Revealed Recordings boss. Hardwell used his sabbatical to put all of his energy back into music, rekindling the inner spirit that drove him as a teenager to conquer the electronic scene into his adult years. Now, with the canvas wiped clean, Hardwell is back, and ‘BROKEN MIRROR’ and ‘INTO THE UNKNOWN’ is just the beginning of this new saga in his story.
