Albums to watch

In Waves

Jamie xx

In Waves

Second solo album from the xx member featuring guest appearances from Oona Doherty, John Glacier, Honey Dijon, Kelsey Lu, Panda Bear, Robyn, Romy, Oliver Sim and The Avalanches

ADM rating[?]

7.9

Label
Young
UK Release date
20/09/2024
US Release date
20/09/2024
  1. 10.0 |   The Irish Times

    Blistering return from dance’s master craftsman
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  2. 10.0 |   musicOMH

    The xx man’s first solo album in nine years arrives straight from the dancefloor, a thrilling celebration of a night out dancing
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  3. 9.0 |   Clash

    For those seeking solace, joy, or pure emotional catharsis, Jamie xx has delivered a masterpiece that will linger long after the last beat fades
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  4. 9.0 |   All Music

    In Waves sounds like the music Jamie xx needed to make at this point in his career - its love letter to the communal healing power of dance music is often more purposeful, and more satisfying, than his instant-classic debut
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  5. 8.5 |   Beats Per Minute

    Jamie xx’s first album in nearly a decade closes a journey that began when the world shut down and dedicates itself to a place that was, at the time, forbidden: the dancefloor
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  6. 8.1 |   Northern Transmissions

    An all-around good time that showcases a technical prowess, In Waves is as joyful as it is precise
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  7. 8.0 |   The Arts Desk

    It's up there with the very best sonic encapsulations of being completely off your tits in the midst of a crowd of people who feel just the same as you do
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  8. 8.0 |   NME

    Nine years on and in a very different world, the producer rises to the challenge of following up his masterful debut, ‘In Colour’
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  9. 8.0 |   DIY

    Skittish beats, soothing piano licks and scattershot sampling
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  10. 8.0 |   Exclaim

    Nearly a decade on, Jamie xx proves he still has the X factor
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  11. 8.0 |   Uncut

    A vibrant and genre-spanning collection, from the stripped-back piano house of opener “Wanna” via the UK garage flavour of “Waited All Night” (featuring xx bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim). Elsewhere, there are touches of R&B, disco, pop and electro-funk as the record unfurls with all the grace and flow of a masterful DJ set. Print edition only

  12. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Partly mimics the jostle and heave of a crowded dancefloor. All You Children presses The Avalanches into euphoric service, matched for dynamism by Baddy On The Floor, a bend-and-snap collaboration with DJ Honey Dijon. Print edition only

  13. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    Filled with guest stars from his xx bandmates to Robyn, this long-gestating second solo album picks up where In Colour left off, and deepens its dancefloor devotion
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  14. 8.0 |   Evening Standard

    This is a more complex beast than his last album but the DJ still knows how to craft an immaculate tune
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  15. 8.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    While it’s unlikely to have the same impact as In Colour, as the next step in the development of an eternally unpredictable artist, it’s a rewarding and frequently electrifying listen
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  16. 8.0 |   Dork

    Perfectly captures the twin vibes of gauzy nostalgia for the classic sounds he employs mixed with the freshness of a dance music landscape where anything goes
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  17. 8.0 |   Spectrum Culture

    In Waves doesn’t shy away from how crummy the world is, but it doesn’t let it win, either
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  18. 8.0 |   PopMatters

    Nearly a decade after his debut, Jamie xx returns with a long-awaited sophomore LP that stylishly swells and retreats with danceable beats and moody romanticism
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  19. 7.5 |   Under The Radar

    In another artist’s hands, lines like “All we gotta do is treat each other right” would come off as naive and reductive. With Jamie xx, they’re testaments to life
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  20. 7.3 |   Pitchfork

    Ten years after his big solo debut, the UK producer goes even bigger for a well-polished record animated by the ecstatic and easy pleasures of the dancefloor
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  21. 7.2 |   Sputnik Music (staff)

    It’s music that can’t help but hold on just a little too tight to ennui and cynicism, expressing the future as a respite from the now in place of extending a flexible present
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  22. 7.0 |   Far Out

    For fans of Jamie’s debut, In Waves will provide bouts of nostalgia and a few new tracks to save to your playlist, but what it provides most is an urge to relisten to In Colour
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  23. 4.0 |   The FT

    The UK producer’s first solo release in seven years delivers only moments of euphoria
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