Bleep

Following huge anticipation and a super limited white label, In Colour the debut album from Jamie xx is finally upon us. Released on his spiritual home of Young Turks, In Colour is a kaleidoscopic journey through FWD-facing club music and all executed with a level of production talent that vastly outweighs his peers. Having come into fruition back in 2009 when he produced the startling debut album from his group The xx which blended a mixture of post-punk minimalism and beat-laden indie electronica to huge critical acclaim. Fast forward to 2011 and he was enlisted to remix legendary American musician Gil Scott-Heron's 2010 album I'm New Here, picking elements of UKG and of-the-time dubstep, he kept the original's stark production in line but updated it for a 2010 audience, raised on a diet of slick garage beats and sparse dubstep spaciousness. Around this time Glaswegian institute Numbers released a hugely in demand 12" Far Nearer and he also unveiled remix work for Radiohead, so if you have not guessed it by now, the hype for his full solo debut LP has been a long time building and luckily it does not disappoint one bit.

Opening with the breakbeat stylings of 'Gosh', we are treated to a future bass science jungle clash of shuffling breaks and hidden airhorns backed up against a ragga vocal which is laid bare over the top before the pads come crashing down to create a feeling of pure euphoria. Next up recent single 'Sleep Sound' lays down a minimal garage beat akin to Burial at his most sedate. See Saw enlists more jungle breaks with a thudding bass while his xx band mate Romy lends her sugar-coated vocals to the track with a breathless anxiety that's trademark to their work together. Jamie's trademark steel drums make a much welcome appearance on the rolling house number Obvs while he further explores the inner ambience produced for Gil Scott-Heron on Just Saying before his other band mate Oliver Sim lends his talents to the bittersweet 'Stranger In A Room' whose tense synth line races along like a heartbeat while always threatening to breakthrough like the sounds of a club a block away half heard through the night. The second half of the LP starts up with 'Hold Tight', possibly the most club-focused track yet, but in keeping with his eyes-down style. Elsewhere Romy returns with the broken glass cut 'Loud Places' while Young Thug gets on board alongside Popcaan for the click and clap uplifting 'I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)' pointing towards a more hip-hop sound not heard before, the rest of the LP flows to a tight end with the future sure to be a hands-in-the-air anthem 'The Rest Is Noise' while 'Girl' ends things on a familiar tip bringing to an end what's sure to be one of the highlights of the year. All in all a brilliantly executed album further exploring styles and sounds touched on throughout Jamie xx's career to date and the most potent example of his talent as a producer, as a whole for want of a better word In Colour is, stunning.