REVIEW: Jamie Woon - Mirrorwriting

Jamie Woon
Mirrorwriting
(out of 5)

I don’t think that fusing minimal dubstep and soul is an entirely new concept, but for some reason 2011 has sent the innovative genre to a wider audience with the likes of James Blake, The Weeknd, and Italian producer Nicolas Jaar all releasing some pretty amazing music this year. Though Jamie Woon has a distinct sound of his own, I am going to lump him in with this niche of artists due to their shared ability to create something unique, yet readily accessible to your average music listener/lover. 

Mirrorwriting is a hum-along affair. ‘Night Air’ gives you the feeling you are wandering through the empty streets on a winter’s night; an eerie, yet somewhat regular situation – I am always taken away how music, a simple yet complicated matrix of lyrics and sounds, can transport you into an entirely different place. It’s the universal language I guess.

The lonely city-wander continues in ‘Street’, telling the tale of a young man walking the places he knows so well without the person he would rather be with (‘you can try on anything for free/pick up anything you need/and I’m wishing you were here with me/walking on a city street’). 

‘Lady Luck’ is the ready-for-radio single with its themes of love and luck. It is also a case study of Woon’s production ability, with multiple vocal samples and driving beats underlying his smooth-as-silk voice. Though he is brilliant, Woon never seeks to overwhelm; his songs lead you on like a lover who delivers. The standout track of the record is the haunting ‘Spirits’. The opening line ‘while we have oceans/rivers that still bring us life/reasons to live in the moment’ makes holistic sense to me, both through my day job and weekend play-time. It’s a track that is full of hope and wonder with a groove that takes you right to the centre – ‘come fill up your souls with our blessings/and hold your hands up to the sky.’

Mirrorwriting is an album that takes a while to grow. This is due to the record’s complexity, and can only bode well for both the album and Woon’s career if he keeps on at this pace – a completely addictive listen.
 

Jamie Woon - Night Air

By Theo Sangster.