Album Review: Jamie Woon - Making Time
By Travis Boswell, Staff Writer
[Polydor Ltd.; 2015]
Rating 3.5/5
Key Tracks: "Sharpness," "Forgiven"
Jamie Woon seems like a nice guy. He could sing over his backing band, but usually keeps the volume down so they can get some credit as well. His songs can get weird at times, but never go so far that they completely alienate certain listeners. Stylistically, his second album sounds like it could be the base of a new genre--but it seems as though he hasn't built much on the base yet because people might not be ready to accept it.
The moments where Making Time gets weird are intriguing because they always stop before going too far. Woon has had more blatant electronic influences in the past, but they're toned down a lot here. A swirling wind effect builds up throughout "Message," leading the song to a bass drop that never comes. The keys of "Dedication" are drenched in reverb and continually grow louder, but the backing band keeps on drawing it back to a relaxed funk jam.
Although the main selling point of the album is its smooth blend of modern soul and electronic music, some of the songs don't strike the balance well. "Movement" is overly long, stuck in a rut until a stylistic switch in the last minute. "Celebration" is torn between country and jazz and never settles comfortably within either, and the odd tribal vocals of "Thunder" are cringe-inducing.
Jamie Woon's second album is more successful than his first at blending electronic music with soul. It's difficult to compare his sound to anyone else's, which makes it even more disappointing when a song misses the mark or doesn't capitalize on a good idea. All in all, Making Time is a solid base to build a new genre around, but the structure is still in progress.
