Any mention of Jamie xx in the more discerning electronic music circles will, as a rule, be met with a certain degree of disdain. Despite, or perhaps because of, his success with his band The xx, Jamie’s talents as a DJ are generally regarded rather sceptically by those more resistant to the Pitchfork-induced hype surrounding the artist.
But We’re New Here, an album of remixes of tracks from Gil Scott-Heron’s acclaimed I’m New Here and Jamie’s debut full-length strictly as a producer, is not without its promise. Throughout the record Jamie exhibits a deep understanding of vocal sampling; whether chopping Gil’s voice to rhythmic effect on ‘I’ll Take Care Of U’ or juxtaposing it against ghostly, pitch-shifted vocals on ‘I’m New Here’, Jamie’s keen ear for melody characterises much of the music on We’re New Here.
Jamie’s love of UK dance is epitomised by We’re New Here and the dark atmospheres of his post-dubstep productions are well suited to the deep throatiness of Gil’s spoken-word delivery. The problem is that whilst, on paper, We’re New Here ticks all the boxes, the whole record is constrained by Jamie’s less than accomplished production. Indeed, Jamie’s drum programming leaves a lot to be desired; the beats on We’re New Here are so laboured, almost clumsy, that even the strongest tracks find themselves robbed of any sort of groove.
It might seem unfair to be criticising Jamie xx’s music for a lack of technical prowess. After all, it was the appreciation of simplicity that got his Mercury Prize winning band, The xx, to where they are today. The uncluttered approach taken by The xx allows for a focus on the minutiae – the soulful textures of the vocals, the touch of reverb on the guitar – elevating their music far beyond the sum of its relatively few parts. In contrast, the technical deficiencies of We’re New Here feel more a like a restriction, indicative of the producer’s limitations, rather than a conscious decision. And, although Jamie’s heart is firmly in the right place, it’s difficult not to have sided with the doubters by the end of this record.
