It also appeared to affect the trajectory of his own record which, over the last year-and-a-bit and six singles later, seemingly took a drastic turn. The early days saw quirky brilliance in Kelis hook-up 'Bounce', which melded '80s computer game bleeps with an ear-snagging chorus, while the squawking electronics of 'Feel So Close' set him apart from the rest of four-to-the-floor dirge in the charts at the time.
Post-Rihanna, and there's a definite "more of this please" feeling. Subsequent collaborations with Ne-Yo, Example and Florence Welch - while by no means bad - lacked originality and felt more like attempts to fit in rather than stand out. The worst offender is 'Drinking From The Bottle' with Tinie Tempah; a standard slice of LOL-some rave-pop with yet another predictable face-melting build up.
That said, there are still moments where songcraft wins out. 'I Need Your Love' finds Ellie Goulding's distinctive tones soaring over thumping bass, while closing chest-thumper 'Thinking About You' features exciting up and comer Ayah Marar. The result is an exhilarating set that, truth be told, we would have been a lot more excited about six months ago.
Tracks to download: 'Bounce', 'Feel So Close', 'I Need Your Love'
If you like this, you'll like: Swedish House Mafia, Example, David Guetta
Listen to Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding's 'I Need Your Love' below:
