Illuminate Vol. 2 and the chaos of urban

and the chaos of urban existence

and reverberant vocals—while noting that its 72‑minute

offering listeners a glimpse into his creative process and the live experience of his performances during that era

Collaborations with artists such as Ty Dolla Sign and Doja Cat add depth to the project

Isabelle Boulay

Illuminate Vol. 2 and the chaos of urbanShawn Mendess Illuminate is his second studio album, released on September 23, 2016, and it pushes his sound from teen acousticpop toward a more mature, John Mayerinfluenced mix of pop, soul, and bluesrock. Built largely around electric and acoustic guitars, live drums, and warmer, less polished production than Handwritten, the album leans into midtempo grooves and big, emotive choruses across tracks like Treat You Better, Mercy, Theres Nothing Holdin