f the great trend of the moment is microhouse, it would follow that the eventual backlash would result in a reconfiguring of the dance music landscape, allowing macrohouse (house music unafraid of being big, emotional and obvious) to undergo a creative renaissance and popular following. And while microhouse shows only the normal signs of a genre undergoing slight growing pains, if there is a first shot to be fired, perhaps it’s the new release by David Guetta, Just A Little More Love.

The first two tracks set the tone. Guetta unfurls a flanged bassline underneath the opening title track’s propulsive beat, allowing his refrain of the title to lead the listener into sonic oblivion. The following track, “Love Don’t Let Me Go”, follows a similar template, keeping the focusing on Guetta’s rich tenor voice. His lyrics, while remaining firmly in line with the dance music canon of simplicity and directness, are incredibly emotional, allowing the listener to bask in the feeling, rather than the meaning.

From this structure comes much of the remainder of the album. Despite this, the first two tracks stand out as the catchiest and strongest moments on the album. “Can’t U Feel the Change”, which opens with a needless intro that demystifies Guetta’s writing process, lacks the bouncy melody that propels “Just A Little More Love”. Similarly, when Guetta slows the tempo down slightly on “You Are The Music” the results aren’t nearly as buoyant and effecting as when he asks the listeners the same sorts of lyrical questions over the throbbing beat of “Love Don’t Let Me Go”. The same issue appears on “Lately”, where the melody seems to be clearly at odds with the drum with which it coexists. Something far more softer and enveloping might have been a better choice.

Luckily, when Guetta does stray from his typical writing process it works, more often than not. On “Atomic Food”, Guetta lists a number of foods that undergo chemical processes before they appear on your grocery shelf. The list is unveiled in a straightforward style, leaving the emotion out of the voice, undercutting the powerful meaning behind the simple act of naming. Additionally, the short “133” works as an interesting side note to the overpowering cleanness of the rest of the album, utilizing a distorted bassline for its backing. Its frenetic pacing makes the song seem longer than it is, but contains enough twists and turns to keep it interesting.

Perhaps, though, Guetta’s remix of David Bowie’s “Heroes” best encapsulates the album on its own terms. Bowie’s memorable refrain is repeated throughout the song, reminding the listener that the triumphant feeling of being a hero, for just one day, is far better than being mediocre every other. For its 48 minute running time, Guetta’s infectious enthusiasm builds him to a heroic status, allowing the listener to overlook his slight failures and magnify his successes.