Soft with brilliant highlights is the music of Jxst J (James Pratley Watson) whose new single “Like U Used 2” makes an impression soaked in pastel pink, with drips of deep red. The singer-songwriter, resident of Los Angeles, encases the colors of his feelings in a sonic sphere, moist with dream-pop condensation and rumbling a rhythm possessing. That is how “Like U Used 2” is presented, should you wish to take it.
From the start, “Like U Used 2” drops you into an ambiance intoxicating, where guitar chords flash, synths sustain, and a luscious voice, heartbroken, leads you to its healing chamber. But as the melancholy brews within during the new single, the music of Jxst J is libertarian: this latest project is an exploration of free will and artistic independence. From collaborations with artists like Chris Sorem (Rufus Wainwright) and Jacob Mann (Knower) to a new solo frontier, Jxst J is experienced enough, and sufficiently young, to experiment some more.
“Like U Used 2” also serves as an opportunity for Jxst J to explore his visual art skills and suggestions: with an accompanying music video directed by filmmaker Andrew Balasia (Phil Good, Russian Baths), the new single’s experience is complete. This new chapter, as is the overall career of this young artist, promises to be exciting, a blossoming worthy of the richest spring spectacles. Heartbreak has a way of igniting our sense of exploration, sometimes what we find are patches of damaged land, sometimes entire worlds of flowering wonder—depends on how deep you dare to go.
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