Musician & Producer Jamie xx follows on from his independent releases that began with 2011’s ‘We’re New Here’, with the release of his debut solo album ‘In Colour’. The new album sees Jamie xx immersing himself completely in his own understanding of electronic and dance music, weaving together a somewhat unusual yet enjoyable album experience featuring interesting ideas and songs. Whilst’s Jamie xx’s 2011 release may not have been a great indicator of what he is capable of in terms of his own creative ideas, it certainly came across as a good groundwork for many of the ideas built up upon on ‘In Colour’.
‘In Colour’ sees Jamie xx flourishing in his own concepts and ideas, really using everything he has learnt to push out a coherent and enjoyable album effort. All the makings of a current popular album are presented on ‘In Colour’, showing the great understanding Jamie xx has of the music industry and his own techniques and ideas. There’s some level of experimentation on Jamie xx’s part, who uses his solo endeavor as a chance really get his own ideas out there, presenting a collage of various styles and techniques, all of which come together nicely in a coherent manner.
Whilst mostly a strong effort that is easily enjoyable and instantly accessible, it does seem that on some levels Jamie xx fails to really bring all that much to the table in terms of electronic dance music. Although it is undeniable that Jamie xx has a great amount of talent when it comes to the composition of the material on his album, it sometimes comes across that a few of the songs on the album are only there to please everyone, rather than showcase some interesting ideas.
Although ‘In Colour’ is not the greatest representative of the genre it occupies, it is a good indicator of someone making attempts to create something they know and understand well. Jamie xx seems to have utilized everything he knows in the creation of his own debut album, certainly elevating himself to a position well above the average norm in the genre. Although more could arguably have been done at certain points on the album, there’s certainly enough present to result in an enjoyable and mostly fun album experience.
Album Rating:
- ★★★☆☆ 3/5
Selected Songs:
- SeeSaw
- Stranger in a Room
- I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)
- Girl
Jamie xx’s debut solo album ‘In Colour’ is out now.
The CD Critic 