Diving into some Techno tonight by way of Rock en Seine Festival in Paris this past week. Jamie XX, recorded live on August 23 this year and preserved for posterity by Radio France International.
James Thomas Smith (born 28 October 1988), known professionally as Jamie xx, is an English musician, DJ, record producer, and remixer. He is known for both his solo work and as a member of the indie pop band the xx.
He has been described as a “driving force” behind the xx, contributing to the group’s significant commercial and critical success. As a solo artist, he has been recognized with a 2015 Mercury Prize nomination, and a 2016 Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album nomination for In Colour.
On 27 March 2015, he released two singles: “Loud Places”, featuring the xx’s Romy Madley Croft, and “Gosh”. On the same day he also announced that his debut album, In Colour, would be out on 1 June 2015. Ahead of its release, In Colour was streamed on iTunes as a preview with album-spanning visuals that ‘reacted’ to each sound. It was ultimately released on 29 May 2015 to widespread critical acclaim, debuting at number three on the UK Albums Chart and receiving nominations for the 2015 Mercury Prize and for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 58th Grammy Awards.
Jamie xx composed the score for a ballet, Tree of Codes, commissioned by Manchester International Festival for its 2015 edition. Based on a novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer, the ballet was choreographed by Wayne McGregor and had a set created by Olafur Eliasson.
In 2020, he released his first single in five years, “Idontknow”, which received positive to lukewarm reception from critics. He was credited on Tyler, the Creator’s 2021 album Call Me If You Get Lost as a co-producer on the track “RISE!”.
Jamie xx has worked on each of his The xx bandmates’ respective solo albums: he produced Oliver Sim’s Hideous Bastard (2022), and co-produced Romy’s Mid Air (2023).
On 20 September 2024, Jamie xx released his second opus In Waves on the independent Young record label.
Thanks Wikipedia, we’re all caught up now –
Press play and dive in – Back to work tomorrow.
