Jamie xx – In Colour – 8.5/10
Young Turks Recordings
If you’re fan of the The xx, you won’t find too much similarity between Jamie xx and the two. His new album In Colour deviates from the usual soft spoken music he’s used to producing with his band, save for a couple of tracks. Jamie Smith’s specialization as a remix artist is a clear constructor for his new solo composition, introducing the audience to his latent potential and experimentation; a hybrid of chillwave mixed with house.
The lyrics are few and simple, but that’s not where the creativity flows. The first song to open for the album is Gosh, using trash can sounding beats mixed with low submerged vocal cuts. Halfway through it picks up with a sick progression of siren like music, unfortunately, ending too soon. Sleep Sound, Obvs, Just Saying, and Hold Tight all play like samples. Obvs creates a tropical theme with it’s pipe percussions and easy beat. Seems like a piece that would be found in Santigold.
Almost every song follows suit in it’s outro in that it builds up to something more complex.
Akin to The xx’s style, Stranger in a Room[ft. Oliver Sim] and Loud Places [ft. Romy] shine through. Loud Places is fantastic with it’s rise and beautiful female lead supported by a chorus and a male recipient. It opens sullenly with piano and Romy Madley Croft singing, “Till I take you to, higher places you can’t reach without me. Reach without me…” There’s perfectly timed clapping, great beats, and a relaxing comedown. It’s electrifying, and this is what Jamie xx is capable of. These songs leave you yearning for more like it. I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times) comes out of left field as the only R&B piece. It’s a fun song, well put together, but slightly odd for the mood.
In Colour has it’s gems and songs that play like samples meant for a master concoction. Likely influenced by Caribou, Deadmau5, and Kaskade, this LP takes aspects of these genres and spins them into something flavorful. Inherent in the simplicity is a thought out complex collection.