Monday, December 7, 2009

5. jj "jj no. 2"


Wow. jj is unquestionably one of the most unique, nay, probably the most unique album I heard all year. Similar to Air France and The Avalanches, jj works in the realm of balearic pop. Basically, imagine yourself on a tropical island, with only the sounds of exotic birds and tribal drums audible. Or just imagine yourself chewing on a cloud. That is what listening to jj is like. With its whimsical xylophones, strings, bird calls, and soothing vocals, jj always puts me in a good mood. But with the joy, also comes a kind of bittersweet feeling, as the lyrics are more somber than the beats over which they flow. All of the tracks are amazing, with "From Africa to Malaga" and "Are You Still in Vallda?" being two of my favorites. But the most intriguing song on the album is, with out a doubt, "Ecstasy." With a sample of Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" providing the beat, the song contains bird calls, whale calls, and ghostly vocals, that will be stuck in your head all day. Truly remarkable is the fact that jj hails from Sweden, a country not well known for its tropical flavor, and exotic wildlife. Nonetheless, jj provides quite possibly the cheapest escape to a tropical island of your choice, complete with birds, whales, and maybe, a cloud to chew on. 

Usershare is being really ridiculous right now, so I promise to have two sample tracks up tomorrow. But it's probably best you just buy the album on itunes right now, because you will not regret it. I guarantee it.  


The album is so good, I decided to only give up one song. Look up the rest on youtube, but like I said, buy it, you won't regret it. 

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