It is tricky to
write about something when you're not fluent in the vocabulary of the subject
you're writing about. When I wrote about Dwight Yoakam's great new album the
other month, I detailed my growing appreciation for country music, which was
relatively easy to do, because I know the vocabulary of country music. I (for
the most part) am familiar with the important eras, artists and the instruments they use in that genre.
It's a little
trickier for me this time around, with Jamie xx's glorious debut solo album, In Colour, because I don't know a whole
hell of a lot about electronic music. I've been a casual fan for a handful of
years, and I know Daft Punk (thanks to Kanye West) and LCD Soundsystem, as well
as a few modern artists like Avicii and Porter Robinson, but I certainly can't
write with any authority on the genre's history. Which is a shame, because there
have been some really well-written pieces on In Colour, pieces that cover the many references and throwbacks Jamie
makes to the early days of English techno throughout the album.
However, you don't have to
be any kind of electronic music expert to appreciate how incredibly beautiful In Colour is in every way, from the
album art and production to samples and recording. It just sounds marvelous. Especially at night. In your car. Or at home. Anywhere, really.
Jamie is one
third of The xx, a fantastic electronic-pop group out of England that really blew up a few years ago. They're working on their third album currently,
and I'll be interested to see how In
Colour informs that album. This album still sounds a lot like The xx,
particularly since bandmates Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim both show up on a song or
two. Croft's voice is still a fucking stunner, particularly when she coos,
"I go to loud places/to search for someone/to be quiet with/who will take
me home," on "Loud Places." Her delivery comes off like a
whisper, but the way Jamie builds her voice up through backing vocals and some
seriously gorgeous guitar lines makes the lyrics hit you in the sweetest
possible way.
I dig electronic
that is a bit more chill – stuff that you can dance to if you really wanted,
but is more for swaying. And while I am by no means saying In Colour is a somber album, I'd characterize it more as subdued.
Jack Ü this isn't, but there are some great builds and beats for those who are
fans – see "Hold Tight" and "Just Saying," to get a sense of
what I mean.
I mentioned it
above, but I really have to dive in a little more on the recording and
production, which is just luminous. Every instrument, beat, sample and vocal
sounds like they were recorded on the highest quality equipment imaginable. The clarity improves every facet of the album's sounds. I
have no idea how Jamie managed it, but I have a hard time believing there will
be an album this year that will just sound
anywhere as good as this.
In Colour
is very much a cohesive album, in the spirit of electronic music, and flows
together seamlessly. I've heard (and made) all kinds of jokes about the electronic
music that gets played in the club and how it all sounds like one
song, but Jamie provides a through-line that unites everything, while allowing
each track to have its own spirit and sound.
The highlight of
the album (and now my leading contender for song of the year) is "I KnowThere's Gonna Be (Good Times)" an absolute stunner of soul, electronic,
reggae and hip-hop that completely burrows into your mind and stays there. It
features Young Thug and Popcaan – two of the most exciting voices in hip hop
and reggae, respectively - and they just go
in over a Persuasions sample. Thug is back on his silly rap shit, and he's
untouchable when he's in the zone, even when he's delivering batshit crazy
lines like, "I'ma ride in that pussy like a stroller/I'll survive in a
mothafuckin' gutter." I have no idea what that first line even means, but
he makes me grin like an idiot every time. You can see why hip-hop artists like
Drake tap Jamie for producing when they can – the guy can deliver on the hooks
like nobody's business. I fully expect to listen to "Good Times"
almost incessantly this summer, and I know I won't be the only one.
It's reductive
and dismissive to say In Colour is an
electronic album for those who don't like (or don't know) they like that music
– instead, it's an album open to all, with plenty to dig through for purists
and appreciators alike. It gives listeners a thrilling chance to see the world
through one captivating artist's eyes – in brilliant color.
