This year, I survived finals. In retrospect, I owe a lot of it to producer and artist Jamie xx. As someone who needs to be listening to music 24/7, I’ve always struggled to find music for studying that’s a good fit; maintaining interest enough to initiate studying while not decreasing productivity. This has proved to be a very thin line, as I have often found myself vacillating between Radiohead and Brian Eno, or even Mozart. However, Jamie xx’s “In Colour” hit a homerun with me, changing the game of studying forever. With a consistently upbeat tempo, the music enhanced my desired aura of focus and efficiency. Also, given that the album is primarily electronic, minimal words came through my speakers, allowing me to hear my own thoughts and tend the written information that needed to be absorbed. Yet, the music itself is still interesting! With each song, Jamie xx effectively introduces standout rhythms that are built up from the bottom, as different layers of sound are added throughout the song. I think part of what makes this album especially interesting is the use of vocals as something more rhythmic than what is usually heard. In a lot of places where synthesizers could just as easily be used to add layers of ambience and intricacy, there are instead vocals. However, most of these vocalized lines don’t showcase words, just a variety of syllables, making them enough to catch my attention without distracting me. Each song presents itself with a different tone or idea, which gets further enhanced as it plays along, effectively achieving the visualization provoked by the album’s title, “In Colour.” The album really does offer quite the palette, creating interesting imagery while straying from painting the picture that requires excess contemplation to enjoy. Overall, it kept me engaged in the studying process without making me want to fall asleep.
While I could rave about this album as a means of focus, it has more than proven its versatility as a means of fun as well. This past summer, I had the opportunity to see Jamie xx live at the Governor’s Ball Music Festival at Randall’s Island Park. His act was by far the most memorable and some of the most fun I can say I’ve ever had at a music festival. He presented audience members with the perfect collection of music for all kinds of dancing, jamming, and vibing, with an eye towards showcasing quality music. It was fresh and exciting at all moments as the crowd embraced the variety of musical and visual colors that surrounded them, bouncing off the walls of the Bacardi House and formulating the carefree memories of a lifetime.
Jamie xx’s “In Colour” is a must-listen for all purposes, studying and raving aside. The album’s versatility is truly amazing as a means of both focus and fun, while displaying electronic originality and authentic creativity with an eye towards quality.
FREE YOUR MIND 