Jamie has the xx factor
Australia got an early preview of Jamie Smith’s critically acclaimed debut album under his Jamie xx moniker when he toured in the new year. Released earlier this month, In Colour is already being touted as the electronic music album of 2015.
The 26-year-old, best known for being one-third of English dream-pop trio the xx and remixing Gil-Scott Heron’s final album, has fond memories of road-testing new material at Aussie festivals such as Southbound.
“I always really love coming to Australia anyway,” Smith says from London. “But that one was particularly fun. I did a private warehouse party and I ended up going around and touring Australia and just had a really fun time.”
Originally going by his birth name on the first xx record, he changed to Jamie xx in 2009 when their debut album took off. Outside of his signature restrained production style for the xx, critics have attempted to pigeonhole Smith in genres such as future garage and post-dubstep. Smith prefers “eclectic”.
While two songs on In Colour were released as singles last year, most of the new material had been kicking around half-finished.
“I was making music between xx records and happily doing so,” Smith says. “Then I had last year back home after touring for the last xx record and I had all this unfinished music and I decided the only way to finish it was to turn it into an album.”
The album features interesting collaborations, including a track with his childhood hero Four Tet and another with Jamaican dance-hall artist Popcaan.
Arguably the highlight, Loud Places, features xx bandmate Romy Madley Croft singing the verses before a perfectly placed sample of Idris Muhammad’s 1977 soul-jazz fusion track Could Heaven Ever Be Like This lifts the chorus.
“I had (Loud Places) kicking around for quite a long time and I couldn’t quite get it right,” Smith says. “I was almost giving up, and (Could Heaven Ever Be Like This) was a song I’ve loved for a long time and I thought I might as well give it a go.
“The lyrics seemed to fit perfectly with what Romy was singing, and when they came together I knew I was close to finishing the album.”
In Colour is out now.
