Jai Paul

[The Boston Crab]

I first heard this guy however long ago, maybe five years ago, maybe more. Edit: Shit, it was NINE years ago when he released BTSTU which I loved. A strange little falsetto melody and some fat metallic synths reminiscent of Playboy by Hot Chip. Really good stuff, loads of hype around him instantly. Then he basically disappeared for a few years until Jasmine came out in 2013, I think, and then his entire album or demos of the album were leaked or nicked and leaked. Either way, aside from some production work he hadn't been heard of since.


A couple of days ago, the leaked album appeared on streaming services as an official release, kind of, alongside two new songs, a double A-side, Do You Love Her Now / He. It almost reminds me of Godley & Creme but I'm still getting used to it. I really like it, anyway. It's a very strange 'comeback' record but I'll be looking out for the album now.


Anyway, I've gone back to the leaked album and I can't stop playing Str8 Outta Mumbai, basically. There's a bit around 2:10 where he chops in some female vocal from a Bollywood film and it's absolutely stunning, it makes me feel 20 again. It's so carefree and almost lazily perfect, but that's also kind of what's so inspired about it. Out of nowhere, he shows where the beat has come from and where the pulse of the song is but takes it to a totally unexpected and ecstatic level. It's full of longing and sadness but it's propelled by the beat to some erotic euphoria. The whole song is full of fantastic little sonic throwaway inventions but this particular one is the highlight and one of the best things I've heard all year.


I hope he's back to stay.

[peanutbutter]

 Str8 Outta Mumbai sounds like a song I'd've fucking loved in 2011 or 2012 if it came out properly produced. Not that keen on the new (old) songs, they're grand but it all feels a bit out of date (and would've done so in 2014 if he managed to get an album together by then).

BTSTU is still a banger but not the amazing thing it was in 2010/2011. It's a shame that the leak fucked with him so badly but there were definitely issues before that wrt how slow he was at finishing anything. Half expect to hear nothing from again for another couple of years tbh.

[kitsofan34]

He is very slow, but him and his brother AK do a lot of producing for their record label, the Paul Institute, too. Some of it's really good! Check it out!