In Colour by Jamie XX

Oh My Gosh

Jamie Smith broke onto the music scene in 2009 as a contributor to the xx, a London-based band that pioneered an award-winning, ear-tingling whisper-pop on their debut album, xx. Jamie contributes to the group as an engineer and musician from behind the boards, pads, and keys. Since that success, Jamie has lent his innovational talents to the likes of Adele, Florence + the Machine, Drake, and Alicia Keys.

For last year's solo debut, In Colour, Jamie xx enlists help from his bandmates and a few outsiders (Young Thug, Brian Wilson, and more) to produce a minimalistic, electronica masterpiece. The album's first track, "Gosh," hints at the producer's vision: a different sound that may be both surprising and timid while entrancing and expansive. Ample beats here; even without verses and choruses, the textures Jamie explores have been given too much character to exist as mere background music. And despite Young Thug baseness, "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" manages to be dope.