Jamie XX is the quiet one in the back. His solo debut, a track called "Far Nearer," for an upcoming 12-inch on Numbers, is warm and wonderful, exactly how we expect the future of music to sound. Though certainly a dance track, the steel pan is hushed, the keys blunted and the you/me-ing something straight out of a teenage lonely hearts club playbook, deep deep deep. He must have taken notes in the clubs, not danced, but stayed there until sun up every morning when the DJs felt no obligation to satisfy the crowd any longer and pulled tunes from the back of their brains, the most ecstatic tracks unleashed for no one in particular and so perfect for their outward lack of desire. That leaves plenty of room for internal fire, of which "Far Nearer" is flush. This track is a marker of exciting times. It's also ripped from a radio show and not great quality. Take what you can get.
Stream: Jamie XX, "Far Nearer"
