jj no.3 (Secretly Canadian)
3/5
By: Liane Escorza
There’s something about jj’s sound that instantly grasps you; yet it doesn’t mean it will captivate for long. Stemming from Gothenburg in Sweden, you would think they would grab onto icy soundscapes and expansive winds of chill, or on the other hand, go for the poppy punk or sticky sweet pop they are so renowned for up north. But jj falls in-between.
Their no.3 album is twee pop in slowly moving fluid; like having syrup or honeydew dripping densely over pancakes. They mix hip hop, ambient, electronica beats and soulful chills to create a pleasant new-agey aura that has more of eastern strings, guitars and whistling than the never-ending agony of Enya.
Their female vocalist wades through waters of orchestration, rap scratches in the surface, happy hippy bells, spiritual choirs, cheery tambourines and dark piano without batting an eyelid. This meaning that her register is flat, constant and determined but besides the opening track ‘My Life’, which brings a sense of curiosity to the following songs, the pleasantness of this work comes pretty much down to their musical ideas and chill-out approach.
They’re definitely not a mysterious or overly emotional bunch, but as long as one is prepared for hypnotic gusts of intimacy, jj no3 is all fine.
Artists in this article: jj
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