jj- n°3

Artist- jj
Album- n°3
Label- Secretly Canadian
Genre- Dreamy

The sort-of-secret Swedish duo is back with their second album in nine months (though this is a step down from their debut n°2). The first track takes Lil Wayne’s verse from The Game’s “My Life” and turns it into a sick, spare piano tune sung by a smoky-voiced chanteuse. Each song, even the more upbeat “You Know”, is dreamy and intoxicating. Blissfully drugged out, this makes for excellent late night chill music. Currently on tour with The XX, the similarities between the minimalist sounds of both groups are evident.

Jónsi - Go

Add date: 4/6
Artist: Jónsi
Album: Go
Label: XL
Genre: Icelandic happy/chill pop; Sigur Ros on a sigur high

I really can’t praise this album enough. It sounds like the best parts of Sigur Ros were pumped with energy and excitement, and let loose on their typical orchestra of woodwinds and strings. The album could easily be grouped with other SR projects, but is set apart due to Jonsi’s overflowing vigor, exemplary in tracks like Boy Lilikoi (4) and Animal Arithmetic (2), on the first half of the collection. In these earlier songs, images of a blooming springtime are conjured up in one’s mind, as opposed to the more typical SR sound, on tracks 6 onward. Tornado (3) is one of my lesser favorites, but sounds like one of Takk’s more melancholy tracks. Did I mention there’s a surprising amount of English on this?

Jonsi’s voice, filled with a childlike wonder and honesty, delicately permeates the album, bringing color and emotion to an already-beautiful orchestration (created by Nico Mulhy, who has also worked with Grizzly Bear and Bjork). Jonsi has created an illuminating and elevating project which begs listen after listen.

A veritable solo project. A+!