In Colour (Jamie xx album)
In Colour | ||||
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Studio album by Jamie xx | ||||
Released | 29 May 2015 | |||
Recorded | 2009–14 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Electronica | |||
Length | 42:44 | |||
Label |
XL Young Turks | |||
Producer |
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Jamie xx chronology | ||||
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Singles from In Colour | ||||
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In Colour is the debut album by English producer Jamie xx, released on 29 May 2015 by Young Turks. It is his second album, his debut studio album and first work consisting of original content.
The album was composed during a five-year period while a member of the xx, starting with his production on xx in 2009. After starting his solo career with 2011's We're New Here and debut singles like 2014's "All Under One Roof Raving", he determined to make the album something of a departure from his previous work and genre. The album features guest vocals from fellow The xx members Romy and Oliver Sim, as well as from Young Thug and Popcaan. The album produced five singles: "Girl" and "Sleep Sound" as a double-single on 5 May 2014, "Loud Places" on 27 March 2015, "Gosh" on 4 May and "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" on 22 May
In Colour received widespread acclaim from critics. It debuted third on the UK Albums Chart, selling 19,255 copies in its first week.[1] In the United States, the album entered the Billboard 200 at #21 and topped the Dance/Electronic Albums, with first-week sales of 19,000 copies.[2] It was nominated for the 2015 Mercury Prize, MasterCard British Album of the Year at the 2016 Brit Awards and Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 58th Grammy Awards.
Background and composition
Smith produced the xx's debut album, xx (2009), "by accident" after sessions with other producers including Diplo were unsuccessful.[3] Later in 2009, Smith began his solo career when he remixed Florence and the Machine's "You've Got the Love".[4] Smith was invited by XL Recordings owner Richard Russell to remix Gil Scott-Heron's 2010 album I'm New Here in its entirety. The resulting album, the electronic-based We're New Here, was released in 2011.[3] He released his debut single, the double A-side "Far Nearer" / "Beat For" in June 2011.[5] The following year, Smith used samples from We're New Here on Drake's "Take Care", which became a US top-10 hit.[6] In Colour was announced on 23 March 2015.[7]
The album was composed over five years, with Smith struggling to finish the music once he had started making it.[3] Smith wanted to make an album that sounded like it did not come from any particular era.[8] It is a dance music record[9] and blends styles of UK garage,[10][11] house[11] and rave.[11] Smith used vocal samples from British media sources that he had encountered while away on tour. The vocal sample at the beginning of "Girl" is taken from an episode of the British drama television series Top Boy, and "Gosh" features a clip from a BBC Radio 1 programme called One in the Jungle that was never aired.[8] "Seesaw" was recorded in collaboration with Kieran Hebden.[4] "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" is based around a sample of The Persuasions' 1971 song "Good Times" from their album Street Corner Symphony,[4] which Smith had bought in Detroit.[8] The song features vocals by American rapper Young Thug and Jamaican musician Popcaan, which were recorded separately and spliced together by Smith.[8]
Promotion
Singles
The first single from the album, "Sleep Sound", premiered on 27 March 2014.[12] A music video for "Sleep Sound", directed by Sofia Mattioli and featuring 13 members of the Manchester Deaf Centre, was released on 10 April 2014.[13] The second single from the album, "Girl", was released on 18 April 2014. "Girl" and "Sleep Sound" were later released as a double A-side on 5 May 2014.[14] On 25 March 2015, the tracks "Gosh" and "Loud Places" premiered on Annie Mac.[15]
Music videos
On 27 March, a music video for "Loud Places", featuring Jamie xx and The xx bandmate Romy Madley Croft skateboarding at night in London, was released.[16] On 27 April 2015, a music video for "Gosh" was released.[17] On 11 May 2015, the song "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)", featuring Young Thug and Popcaan, was released.[18]
Release
On 26 May 2015, In Colour was streamed in its entirety on iTunes.[19] In Colour was released on 29 May 2015 in digital, CD, LP and a limited deluxe triple-LP edition. The deluxe edition of the album, cut on coloured vinyl, featured two exclusive instrumental tracks.[20]
Critical reception
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 87/100[21] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [22] |
The A.V. Club | B[23] |
The Guardian | [9] |
NME | 9/10[24] |
The Observer | [25] |
Pitchfork Media | 9.3/10[26] |
Q | [27] |
Rolling Stone | [28] |
Spin | 9/10[29] |
Vice | A−[30] |
In Colour received widespread acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 87, based on 39 reviews.[21] Q magazine praised it as "an album so rich, complex and dazzlingly fluid" in a rave review,[27] while Pitchfork Media's Mark Richardson called it a "dazzling culmination of Jamie xx’s last six years of work, gathering up elements of everything he’s done—moody ballads, floor-filling bangers, expansive and off-kilter collaborations with vocalists—and packing them tightly into a glittering ball that reflects spinning fragments of feeling back at us."[26] Nina Corcoran of Consequence of Sound gave the album a grade of A, writing "Each song grows richer the more you explore its open space. Its minimalism breathes buckets of color. After one listen or 10, In Colour reflects brightly, a phenomenally poised and universally approachable solo debut."[31] In another positive review, Phil Hebblethwaite of the NME wrote "[O]n an album defined by its creator making perfect choices, it fits, and you’d never know that Jamie cobbled ‘In Colour’ together on downtime over the last seven year."[24] Gareth James of Clash called the album "an emotive, emphatic and often joyous collection of music that plays equally for the head and the heart."[32] Robert Christgau wrote in Noisey that while the music functioned poorly as background music, listening to the record in the foreground left him captivated by the music's "glimmers of beat, snatches of melody, trick sounds, and fluctuating dynamics as well as the hooks with which most tracks are equipped and around which few are structured".[30]
In a less enthusiastic review, Andrew Ryce of Resident Advisor remarks that In Colour is an "uneven album that's rarely as profound or as meaningful as it tries to be".[33] In another mixed review, The Quietus' Christian Eede called the album "a collection of sexless, sonically conservative tracks overwrought in bass and nostalgia, and largely void of personality – club music for the neoliberal age."[34]
Accolades
The album was nominated for the 2015 Mercury Music Prize[35] and Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 58th Grammy Awards.[36]
Publication | Accolade | Year | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
The Guardian | The Best Albums of 2015 | 2015 | 17[37] |
NME | NME's Albums of the Year 2015 | 3[38] | |
Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2015 | 2[39] | |
Readers' Top 50 Albums | 4[40] | ||
Billboard | 25 Best Albums of 2015: Critics' Picks | 6[41] | |
Rough Trade | Albums of the Year 2015 | 10[42] | |
Stereogum | The 50 Best Albums of 2015 | 11[43] |
Track listing
All tracks produced by Jamie Smith, except for "SeeSaw", which is co-produced by Four Tet.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Gosh" | Jamie Smith | 4:51 |
2. | "Sleep Sound" |
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3:52 |
3. | "SeeSaw" (featuring Romy) |
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4:28 |
4. | "Obvs" |
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3:51 |
5. | "Just Saying" | J. Smith | 1:23 |
6. | "Stranger in a Room" (featuring Oliver Sim) |
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2:57 |
7. | "Hold Tight" | J. Smith | 4:03 |
8. | "Loud Places" (featuring Romy) |
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4:43 |
9. | "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" (featuring Young Thug and Popcaan) |
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3:33 |
10. | "The Rest Is Noise" | J. Smith | 4:58 |
11. | "Girl" | 4:05 |
Japanese edition bonus tracks[44] | ||
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No. | Title | Length |
12. | "Stranger in a Room" (instrumental) | 3:03 |
13. | "Loud Places" (instrumental) | 4:51 |
14. | "All Under One Roof Raving" (instrumental) | 5:55 |
15. | "All Under One Roof Raving" | 5:59 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of In Colour.[45]
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[78] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Edition | Label | Ref. |
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Australia | 29 May 2015 | Standard | [79][80][81] | ||
Germany |
|
|
[82][83] | ||
LP |
|
[84][85] | |||
Ireland |
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Standard | Young Turks | [86][87][88] | |
France | 1 June 2015 | [89][90][91] | |||
United Kingdom |
|
[92][93] | |||
LP |
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[94][95] | |||
United States | 2 June 2015 |
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Standard | XL | [96][97][98] |
Japan | 3 June 2015 |
|
Hostess | [44] |
References
- ↑ Jones, Alan (8 June 2015). "Official Charts Analysis: Florence & The Machine leads all new Top 4 with sales of 68,788". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 8 June 2015. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ Murray, Gordon (21 June 2015). "Jamie xx Marks the No. 1 Spot on Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- 1 2 3 Petridis, Alexis (28 May 2015). "Jamie xx: 'What have I learned? That I like working on my own'". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 Sherburne, Philip (19 May 2015). "Profiles: Jamie xx: Taking Shelter in Loud Places". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ Fitzmaurice, Larry (6 June 2011). "Jamie xx: "Far Nearer"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ Murray, Nick (7 April 2015). "Jamie xx on Breaking His Stereotype for Bright Solo Debut 'In Colour'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ Minsker, Evan. Jamie xx Announces Debut Solo Album In Colour. Pitchfork Media. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 Saxelby, Ruth (14 April 2015). "Jamie xx: Why Dance Music Is So Important". The Fader. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- 1 2 Jonze, Tim (28 May 2015). "Jamie xx: In Colour review – downbeat dance debut stays on the right side of strange". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ↑ "Jamie xx – In Colour". musicOMH. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Jamie xx Makes a Playlist of His Favorite Music". Complex. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ↑ Camp, Zoe. Listen to Jamie xx's New Single "Sleep Sound". Pitchfork Media. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
- ↑ Hogan, Marc. Watch Jamie xx's 'Sleep Sound' Inspire Deaf Dancers. Spin. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Rettig, James. Jamie xx - Girl. Stereogum. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Goble, Corban. Jamie xx Shares "Gosh" and "Loud Places", Featuring the xx's Romy Madley-Croft. Pitchfork Media. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Minsker, Evan. Jamie xx Details In Colour, Shares "Loud Places" Video. Pitchfork Media. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Breihan, Tom. Jamie xx – "Gosh" Video. Stereogum. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Breihan, Tom. Jamie xx – "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" (Feat. Young Thug & Popcaan). Stereogum. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ↑ Phillips, Amy. Jamie xx Streams In Colour as Visual Album. Pitchfork Media. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ↑ "Jamie xx reveals full details of In Colour". Fact. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
- 1 2 "Reviews for In Colour by Jamie xx". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ Phares, Heather. "In Colour – Jamie xx". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ Mincher, Chris (2 June 2015). "Jamie xx's debut is more than just a rave review". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- 1 2 Hebblethwaite, Phil (8 May 2015). "Jamie xx – 'In Colour'". NME. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ↑ Empire, Kitty (24 May 2015). "Jamie xx: In Colour review – larging it, for introverts". The Observer. London. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- 1 2 Richardson, Mark (1 June 2015). "Jamie xx: In Colour". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- 1 2 "Jamie xx: In Colour". Q. London (348): 103. July 2015.
- ↑ Hermes, Will (2 June 2015). "In Colour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- ↑ Ryce, Andrew (2 June 2015). "Review: Jamie xx Is Singular and Sublime on Debut Solo LP, 'In Colour'". Spin. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- 1 2 Christgau, Robert (11 September 2015). "Young Thug's Most Useful Performance Since 'Black Portland': Expert Witness with Robert Chistgau". Vice. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
- ↑ Corcoran, Nina (26 May 2015). "Jamie xx – In Colour". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ↑ James, Gareth (2015-06-01). "Jamie xx - In Colour". Clash. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
- ↑ Ryce, Andrew (1 June 2015). "RA Reviews: Jamie xx - In Colour on Young Turks (Album)". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- ↑ Eede, Christian. Reviews - Jamie XX - In Colours. The Quietus. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "Mercury Prize 2015 shortlist". BBC. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
- ↑ Phillips, Amy (7 December 2015). "Grammy Nominations Announced: Kendrick Lamar, the Weeknd, D'Angelo, Courtney Barnett, Alabama Shakes, and More". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ↑ "The Best Albums of 2015". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. December 2, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
- ↑ "NME'S Albums of the Year 2015". NME. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
- ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Pitchfork. December 16, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Readers' Poll Results 2015". Pitchfork. January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ↑ "Billboard.com's 25 Best Albums of 2015: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- ↑ "Albums of the Year 2015". roughtrade.com. 2015-11-25. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
- ↑ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2015". Stereogum. SpinMedia. 2015-12-01. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
- 1 2 "In Colour : Jamie Xx". HMV Japan. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ↑ In Colour (CD liner notes). Jamie xx. Young Turks. 2015. YTCD122.
- ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ "ARIA Dance – Week Commencing 8th June 2015" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Pandora Archive. p. 17. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Jamie xx – In Colour" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Jamie xx – In Colour" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Jamie xx – In Colour" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jamie xx – In Colour" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Jamie xx – In Colour" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- ↑ "Official IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Week: 24/2015)". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
- ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 23, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ "GFK Chart-Track – Independent Albums: Week 23, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
- ↑ イン・カラー | ジェイミー・エックス・エックス [In Colour | Jamie xx] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Jamie xx – In Colour". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ↑ "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ↑ "Jamie xx – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Jamie xx. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
- ↑ "Jamie xx – Chart history" Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums for Jamie xx. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
- ↑ "Jamie xx – Chart history" Billboard Independent Albums for Jamie xx. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
- ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Dance Albums 2015". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2015 – Albums" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
- ↑ "Rapports Annuels 2015 – Albums" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
- ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2015". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ↑ "Dance/Electronic Albums: Year End 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- ↑ "British album certifications – Jamie xx – In Colour". British Phonographic Industry. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016. Enter In Colour in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "In Colour". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour (Vinyl)". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour by Jamie xx". iTunes Store (AU). Apple. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour [Explicit]: Jamie xx: MP3-Downloads" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour [Vinyl LP]" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour-Deluxe Edition (Coloured Vinyl)" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour – Jamie xx (CD)". HMV Ireland. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour – Jamie xx (Vinyl)". HMV Ireland. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour by Jamie xx". iTunes Store (IE). Apple. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In colour – Jamie Xx – CD album" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In colour – Jamie Xx – Vinyl album" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour [Explicit]: Jamie xx: Téléchargements MP3" (in French). Amazon.fr. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour [Explicit]: Jamie xx: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour [VINYL]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour [VINYL] (Deluxe Edition)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "Jamie xx: In Colour". Amazon.com. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "Jamie xx: In Colour (Vinyl)". Amazon.com. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ↑ "In Colour [Explicit]: Jamie xx: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 1 June 2015.