Jamie Lidell — Jim

You won't find much electronica-laced, ambient material on Jim. Lidell began moving away from that formula on Multiply and he's taken it further on Jim, which for the most part throws back to '60s and '70s soul. This is a huge step forward for Lidell and results in some of his strongest material yet. "Another Day," with its insanely catchy piano and jivey beats, sounds like it could appear on any of Marvin Gaye's albums. "Wait For Me" recalls Otis Redding's glory days, with Lidell's voice in particular sounding like the Georgia soul master. The only tracks where you'll find any electronic noodlings are the electro-funk "Figured Me Out," which plays with vocoders and "Green Light." There's nothing wrong with experimentation, but Jim's simple, stripped-down approach to songwriting makes it an engaging listen from beginning to end.

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