London's Jamie Smith is best known as a pivotal member of indie trio the xx. However, more recently, Jamie xx has been making a name for himself as a producer of electronic music that spans a pretty wide variety of sounds.
What started as a side project from the usual xx material has turned into Jamie's main hustle. It started with the massive amount of hype his Gil Scott-Heron remix album, We're New Here, received upon its release. Since then, Jamie xx has released a bunch of remixes and originals, both poppy and obscure, to the delight of his fans.
From the radio-friendly single "Loud Places" to obscure post-dubstep beats, this dude is an absolutely monstrous producer. With his upcoming album, In Colour, set for a June 1st release, we figured it would be a good time to school our readers on Jamie's 10 essential tracks.
Jamie xx featuring Romy - Loud Places
The latest single of Jamie xx's upcoming album, In Colour, is nothing short of magical. The contemporary dance track is both chill and upbeat, and features the xx member Romy on vocals for the catchy affair.
Jamie xx - Sleep Sound
Here's another In Colour cut, "Sleep Sound." While messing with ambient soundscapes, Jamie xx created a very nice club track that is just as soothing as it is danceable.
Jamie xx - All Under One Roof Raving
With this one, Jamie made an ode to classic UK rave sounds. It's experimental both in its use of vocal samples and drum patterns.
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx - I'll Take Care Of U
Here's one that'll sound awfully familiar to 98% of our readership. Yes, Drake and Rihanna owe quite a bit of the success of "Take Care" to Jamie xx...
Gil Scott Heron and Jamie XX - NY Is Killing Me
This one is an absolutely filthy beat. The bouncy track is dark and eerie in nature, but futuristic in taste and style. Can someone please tweet at Jadakiss and Pusha T to spit over this?
The xx - Islands (Jamie xx Remix)
Jamie xx remixing the xx is a little strange to look at on paper, but it makes complete sense when you hear it. His spin on the xx original takes the song into a groovy new territory.
Jamie xx - Girl
"Girl" is like the cross breed between J Dilla and Chrome Sparks. It's a perfectly vibey tune that is best suited for late nights with great friends.
Adele - Rolling In The Deep (Jamie xx Shuffle)
Just a warning: you can't go into this one expecting to hear anything much like the original, speaking both melodically and rhythmically. Yes, the vocals are there, but the song is totally different otherwise. It's super sick when you get used to it though.
Jamie xx - Far Nearer
This one falls under the post-dubstep / future garage territory, which may not be familiar to a lot of the hip hop heads who frequent the site. However, if you love beat production and are looking for new, exciting sounds, this could very well be a gateway for that.
The xx - Sunset (Jamie xx Edit)
And finally, a proper club edit of a great xx track. Jamie xx has made a name for himself not just by producing original beats and being an integral part of the xx, but he's also one hell of a DJ. If you like groovy house music, definitely check his set when he hits a sound-system near you.
