It's been three years since we've had an album by The xx. I first discovered them in 2013 when I got their then-recent album Coexist, and I was absolutely fascinated by the minimalist approach to indie pop that the band had taken. I'd never heard anything like it before, and to this day I can credit that album with getting me into electronic music, and more specifically minimalist music.
I think that part of what made me like The xx's music so much--particularly on Coexist--was Jamie xx's hypnotic beats. Going back to the band's self-titled debut, the album is more post-punk and R&B-inspired, and while I still love it, Jamie xx's beats weren't quite as mesmerizing as they came to be on Coexist. The beats produced by Jamie xx complimented the instrumentals by Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim quite nicely.
Now, while The xx produced some awesome music as a band, Jamie xx himself had also produced some incredible works on his own, beginning with a remix of Florence + the Machine's "You Got the Love". Also notable is the album We're New Here, in which Jamie xx made unique remixes of Gil Scott-Heron songs; he would later pull samples from this album when he produced the Drake single "Take Care" in 2011. He would also go on to produce his own solo single, "Far Nearer" / "Beat For", which featured two distinct styles from the producer. With a Florence + the Machine remix, a Gil Scott-Heron remix album, a production credit on Drake's album, and a solo single, I think people were anxious for a Jamie xx solo album. Sure enough, on June 2, Jamie xx dropped his debut solo album that was five years in the making.
The album opens with "Gosh", a track that evokes the sound of English dubstep and garage artists from the 2000s such as Burial. While this track has a specific sound, it doesn't really give you an idea of what the rest of the album will end up sounding like. Indeed, the next track, "Sleep Sound", is completely different, being more mellowed-out and less chopped up.
"Sleep Sound" then transitions nicely into "SeeSaw", a track co-produced with Four Tet and featuring Jamie xx's bandmate Romy Madley-Croft. Yet again, this one sounds way different from either of the two track preceding it. It actually sounds more like The xx than "Gosh" or "Sleep Sound", and Romy's vocals I think have a little to do with this. Still, it's one of my favorites from the album.
The next track, "Obvs", features Jamie xx's steel drums that were also featured on "Far Nearer". Like the other tracks, it's a chilled-out rave-ready track with Jamie xx's beats pulsing like a heartbeat. After a short interlude entlitled "Just Saying", the album transitions into "Stranger in a Room", a track that featured another of Jamie xx's bandmates: bassist/vocalist Oliver Sim. This is another track that sounds very similar to The xx, but not necessarily in the same way that "SeeSaw" does. It's just as mellow, but has a small touch of arpeggiating synths similar to what the Knife did on "Silent Shout". Here, the percussion isn't as present as it has been on the rest of the album. Rather, the minimal guitars and Oliver Sim's vocals are at the forefront, and it's a nice change of style, if only briefly.
Next we have "Hold Tight", a track that combines UK garage with trip-hop synths to create a darker vibe. It's a pretty cool track with awesome dynamics that swell and build to make it one of the more musical tracks on here. It transitions into "Loud Places", another track featuring Romy, and the quiet pianos and percussion make it my favorite track on the album. When I first heard it, I immediately thought of the first time I'd heard Coexist two years ago. It includes a really neat sample of Idris Muhammad's "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This" on the chorus too.
The album then runs into "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)", and while I like most of this track, it's one of the weirder tracks on here. It features some pretty cool harmonized vocals, but the Young Thug feature is a little bit off-putting. It's not even the fact that he's featured on here that bothers me, but more his verses. They don't seem to fit into the rather somber mood of the album. That being said, I still greatly enjoy this track, as it's colorful and continues with the wide range of styles presented on the album.
The next track, called "The Rest Is Noise", is also a favorite. It's the longest track on here, and for me, it really sounds a lot like an early Aphex Twin track. It's the longest song on here at 4:58 minutes, and feels almost like a dream. It will get loud with the beats and instruments, and then suddenly drop down and get quiet. I can definitely say that it's one of my favorites on here.
Finally, the album ends with "Girl". While it's not an amazing close to an amazing album, it's still a pretty darn good track. It continues with the recurring theme of offering something a little different.
The album's title, In Colour, suggests that the music on this album is as colorful as the album artwork. Indeed, every song offers something a little bit different from the song that came before it. I don't know if he intentionally named it that because of the varying genres presented on the album, but either way, it's kind of a cool concept. It's a great showcase of his versatility as a producer. I also have to give Jamie xx credit for being able to showcase many different styles while still making a cohesive album.
In Conclusion: Jamie xx produces a varied solo debut worthy of any music lover's collection. It's diverse, and yet holds together as an album rather than just a collection of songs.
Overall: 9/10
Favorite tracks: Gosh; Sleep Sound; SeeSaw; Stranger in a Room; Hold Tight; Loud Places; I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times); The Rest Is Noise; Girl
Now, while The xx produced some awesome music as a band, Jamie xx himself had also produced some incredible works on his own, beginning with a remix of Florence + the Machine's "You Got the Love". Also notable is the album We're New Here, in which Jamie xx made unique remixes of Gil Scott-Heron songs; he would later pull samples from this album when he produced the Drake single "Take Care" in 2011. He would also go on to produce his own solo single, "Far Nearer" / "Beat For", which featured two distinct styles from the producer. With a Florence + the Machine remix, a Gil Scott-Heron remix album, a production credit on Drake's album, and a solo single, I think people were anxious for a Jamie xx solo album. Sure enough, on June 2, Jamie xx dropped his debut solo album that was five years in the making.
The album opens with "Gosh", a track that evokes the sound of English dubstep and garage artists from the 2000s such as Burial. While this track has a specific sound, it doesn't really give you an idea of what the rest of the album will end up sounding like. Indeed, the next track, "Sleep Sound", is completely different, being more mellowed-out and less chopped up.
"Sleep Sound" then transitions nicely into "SeeSaw", a track co-produced with Four Tet and featuring Jamie xx's bandmate Romy Madley-Croft. Yet again, this one sounds way different from either of the two track preceding it. It actually sounds more like The xx than "Gosh" or "Sleep Sound", and Romy's vocals I think have a little to do with this. Still, it's one of my favorites from the album.
The next track, "Obvs", features Jamie xx's steel drums that were also featured on "Far Nearer". Like the other tracks, it's a chilled-out rave-ready track with Jamie xx's beats pulsing like a heartbeat. After a short interlude entlitled "Just Saying", the album transitions into "Stranger in a Room", a track that featured another of Jamie xx's bandmates: bassist/vocalist Oliver Sim. This is another track that sounds very similar to The xx, but not necessarily in the same way that "SeeSaw" does. It's just as mellow, but has a small touch of arpeggiating synths similar to what the Knife did on "Silent Shout". Here, the percussion isn't as present as it has been on the rest of the album. Rather, the minimal guitars and Oliver Sim's vocals are at the forefront, and it's a nice change of style, if only briefly.
Next we have "Hold Tight", a track that combines UK garage with trip-hop synths to create a darker vibe. It's a pretty cool track with awesome dynamics that swell and build to make it one of the more musical tracks on here. It transitions into "Loud Places", another track featuring Romy, and the quiet pianos and percussion make it my favorite track on the album. When I first heard it, I immediately thought of the first time I'd heard Coexist two years ago. It includes a really neat sample of Idris Muhammad's "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This" on the chorus too.
The album then runs into "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)", and while I like most of this track, it's one of the weirder tracks on here. It features some pretty cool harmonized vocals, but the Young Thug feature is a little bit off-putting. It's not even the fact that he's featured on here that bothers me, but more his verses. They don't seem to fit into the rather somber mood of the album. That being said, I still greatly enjoy this track, as it's colorful and continues with the wide range of styles presented on the album.
The next track, called "The Rest Is Noise", is also a favorite. It's the longest track on here, and for me, it really sounds a lot like an early Aphex Twin track. It's the longest song on here at 4:58 minutes, and feels almost like a dream. It will get loud with the beats and instruments, and then suddenly drop down and get quiet. I can definitely say that it's one of my favorites on here.
Finally, the album ends with "Girl". While it's not an amazing close to an amazing album, it's still a pretty darn good track. It continues with the recurring theme of offering something a little different.
The album's title, In Colour, suggests that the music on this album is as colorful as the album artwork. Indeed, every song offers something a little bit different from the song that came before it. I don't know if he intentionally named it that because of the varying genres presented on the album, but either way, it's kind of a cool concept. It's a great showcase of his versatility as a producer. I also have to give Jamie xx credit for being able to showcase many different styles while still making a cohesive album.
In Conclusion: Jamie xx produces a varied solo debut worthy of any music lover's collection. It's diverse, and yet holds together as an album rather than just a collection of songs.
Overall: 9/10
Favorite tracks: Gosh; Sleep Sound; SeeSaw; Stranger in a Room; Hold Tight; Loud Places; I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times); The Rest Is Noise; Girl