Intense

Released in 2013, Intense is Armin van Buuren's fifth studio album and arguably his most commercially successful crossover project. The album is defined by its ambitious scope, opening with an 8:47 title track featuring Israeli-American violinist Miri Ben-Ari, which signals a move toward more 'organic' instrumentation within a digital framework. The lead single, 'This Is What It Feels Like,' became a global hit, earning a Grammy nomination and cementing the album's status as a pop-EDM landmark. Throughout the 15 tracks, van Buuren explores various facets of electronic music, from the progressive house leanings of 'Beautiful Life' to the purist tech-trance of 'Who's Afraid of 138?!'. The album features a high density of guest vocalists, including Emma Hewitt and Fiora, which helps maintain a narrative of human emotion amidst the heavy synthesis. Critically, it was seen as a polished, professional evolution that maintained Armin's core identity while expanding his reach to the mainstage festival audience.