November has been a hell of a month for Jamie Jones. He’s wrapped up the festival circuit this season, dominating the West coast at HARD’s Day of the Dead and the East coast, closing out Insomniac’s EDC Orlando. He’s been making the rounds across the world, playing in Modena and Mexico City, and just recently announced that his live show, “Hot Natured,” will be making its way back to London on December 12th. Now, Jones has returned back to the label he helped build with his new EP, Planets, Spaceships. The four-track record is a dark, extraterrestrial voyage through the vastness of deep-house, synthesizer space.
Review:
First off, there isn’t a single track of the record shorter than six minutes. The titular track, “Planets, Spaceships,” kicks things off with a steady four-four kick and bit of ear-candy with the squeaking blips at the end of the each phrase. Daniela Caldellas (one half of Digitaria) vocals come in through the track until the kick begins to climax in tempo, and the shift moves over to Daniel Albinati. Their voices clash as Daniela begins a countdown; the synths come in, the percussion builds again, and track rockets off. “Cookie Monster” feels like a colder, heavier natural progression as the EP moves farther into the dark void. With the 80’s style cyber-synths and low-pitch computer vocals, it’s easy to envision a rave taking place in 2001: A Space Odyssey as you’re listening to the track.
“Starp Trek” takes the funk-factor up dramatically with the syncopated drum-lines, subtle bass notes in the background, groovy, sci-fi synthesizers, and the vocals droning in the background “don’t you stop, to take it over.” The final track of the album, “Stick,” is a bit more haunting; minus a few initial beeps, the kick is brought to the forefront of the track and left alone, beating eerily in the silence until the clap is brought in and the beeps return. The percussion continues to develop as the static, chopped vocals and harsh, snaring notes come in. The ghoulish atmosphere of the song will send a groovy chill down your spine. We may be lost in space, but at least there’s killer tunes to be heard…
The EP is out now on Beatport, and available on 12” from Juno Records and Phonica Records.