After an extended roll-out throughout the summer, Jamie xx’s In Waves has arrived in its full euphoric glory. The UK producer and DJ’s second full-length LP is a 12-track journey in heart-felt house and euro-trance delight, supported by a diverse roster of collaborators.
The post-pandemic world ushered in an era of music crafted for the clubs, and there is no end in sight with the arrival of Jamie’s new project. The album opens with “Wanna,” a sparkling interlude comprising filtered keys and 808s rising from deep within, situating the listener just outside the club doors. Jamie then takes it to the next level with a lineup boasting thumping kicks and gooey basslines, including “Treat Each Other Right” and “Baddy On the Floor” with Honey Dijon, which also usher in the chopped-up vocal samples that appear throughout the album. “Waited All Night” is for all the day-one fans, bringing The xx singers Romy and Oliver Sim back for an emotional progressive house ballad.
Life with pop singer Robyn, “All You Children” with the Avalanches, and the closing song Falling Together with Oona Doherty are accompanied by spoken-word affirmations that evoke some kind of dancefloor prayer. The intense spiritual atmosphere coloring the sounds of In Waves is an invitation to lose oneself in the ecstatic experience of the rave.
As one-third of The xx, Jamie honed his early electronic sound with his bandmates on LPs xx and Coexist. Since the band’s 2017 album I See You, each member has delved deep into their solo work with Romy releasing Midair in 2023 and Oliver Sim releasing Hideous Bastard in 2022. Jamie was the first to go solo almost a decade ago, releasing his first LP In Colour in 2015.
In Waves is available everywhere now. Take a listen to the full album below.
