Hear Tom DeLonge bring pop-punk nostalgia to EDM on Illenium’s “Paper Thin”

Just days after announcing the collaboration, Illenium has dropped his new track “Paper Thin” featuring Tom DeLonge.

The single, which is also credited to Angels & Airwaves, marks the former blink-182 guitarist’s EDM debut. DeLonge performs vocals on the track, adding what is best described as a pop-punk flair to the melodic dubstep backings.

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Illenium, who has previously teamed up with artists including the Chainsmokers (“Takeaway”) and I Prevail (“Feel Something”), described the song as a “dream project.”

“I got to collaborate with one of my favourite artists ever, Tom DeLonge,” he says, “I feel like it has the nostalgic pop-punk vibes but also really incorporates my sound. I think the blend sounds amazing and I’m so stoked with how this one turned out!”

The Billboard-charting producer further described his appreciation for DeLonge in a tweet Wednesday.

“I’m so fkn stoked for Paper Thin to come out!!,” he shares. “I’ve been the biggest fan of Tom DeLonge since I literally first started listening to music. Whether it was AVA, blink or Box Car [Racer], his songs were my first lyrics I memorized and sang word for word. So lucky to work with him.”

The track follows Illenium’s single “Nightlight,” which dropped in August and features vocalist Annika Wells. The artwork features an apparent post-apocalyptic setting though DeLonge joked in a recent tweet that he’d proposed something raunchier.

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“Hey Illenium, we should release that artwork suggestion I sent to you…” He said, “Just sayin, Art is Art haha #Nudez.”

The collaboration is yet another display of creative experimentalism by DeLonge. Earlier this month, he announced his directorial debut with Monsters Of California. The paranormal adventure film is based on a script DeLonge wrote with Ian Miller and stars Richard Kind. 

DeLonge derived some inspiration for the film from blink-182, which manifests in “blink-era dick jokes” according to an Instagram post. The reference came on the heels of his discussing a possible reunion with the band back in May. 

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While it may not have been the blink-related announcement we were hoping for, fans were quick to react favorably to DeLonge’s venture into EDM.

https://twitter.com/_toastgrl/status/1319709632189771785

What do you think of Tom DeLonge’s EDM debut with Illenium? Let us know in the comments.