Music — Consumed

2024 · Jamie xx

In Waves sees Jamie xx shedding the downtempo introspection that defined In Colour for something more primal and immediate. Where his debut balanced club tracks with ambient interludes, this album commits fully to the dancefloor, drawing from UK garage, classic house, and rave without ever feeling like pastiche. The production is characteristically meticulous—each hi-hat placement and vocal chop serves the groove—but there's a looseness here that suggests Smith finally stopped second-guessing himself in the studio.

The album's strength lies in its restraint. Tracks like "Baddy on the Floor" and "Treat Each Other Right" build tension through repetition rather than maximalist drops, letting subtle filter sweeps and rhythm shifts do the heavy lifting. Smith understands that club music works best when it trusts the fundamentals: a solid kick, infectious samples, and space for the mix to breathe. The Robyn collaboration "Life" and Honey Dijon feature "Waited All Night" add melodic hooks without sacrificing the album's commitment to physical movement.

What makes In Waves compelling is how it captures a specific moment in dance music history—post-pandemic clubs, the resurrection of rave nostalgia, the UK's ongoing love affair with garage—while sounding like it could have been made anytime in the last thirty years. It's Jamie xx finally making the club record he's always been capable of, without the weight of expectation or the need to prove his artistry through complexity. Sometimes the best production decision is just letting the beat ride.