Jansport J - Low

Jansport J
Low
2018
Spotify

Any music reviewer who claims to be unbiased is out of their fucking mind. Of course the way you group up, what you listened to as a youth and the circumstances of your life all contribute to the kinds of things you like to listen to. Another factor in that is the people you meet along the way, and I have the great pleasure of calling Jansport J my friend. I was at his album release party recently raising a cup to his continued growth and success as an artist. His DJ sets have become effortless, flowing between modern boom bap and golden oldies that you forgot you loved. This new album Low is the same, taking timeless classics and re-imagining them into new complex hip hop beats. He tweaks and twists classics like Rick James' "Mary Jane" into his "Smokwitchu". You know where the song comes from, but that doesn't mean this new version isn't just as wonderful. "Nu" Does a similar thing with the Al Green classic "Let's Stay Together". For me the real stunner here though is "White" because it is so different  than everything else He has done before. The bongos, the ethereal vibes all come together in this truly stunning track that feels like afternoon sunshine coming through the shades. "Walls" is also a departure going into some interesting electronica spaces that Justin has never been to before. Low starts as a meditation on sleep, and all the places when go when experiencing and trying to get to sleep. As all of his albums have in the past this theme gives him direction, but doesn't necessarily dictate what the record is going to be.

His music has always been a bit muddy, giving it a classic vinyl feel, but on Low it feels a bit dialed up. This is a record that feels instantly classic rather than slick and modern. It's about beats, claps and soul piercing rhythm. On his previous record pharaoh, it felt like He wanted to really dive into things, explore some elements of consciousness and his place on the world,  but Low is more celebratory. There are a few moments here and there that can get a bit repetitive, even for songs less than two minutes. "Throwback" for example starts wonderfully, but then doesn't particularly shift into any other gear. "A Wake" closes the record, a blinking slow meander back into reality. This record takes you on such a wonderfully rich journey but still has so much more to give. Low is deeply satisfying but makes you want so much more. What a wonderful thing to see your friends creating great and substantial art huh? Not to mention you get to enjoy it any time you want. What a world.

9.0 out of 10