Jamie xx

The desperation to see “*Jamie xx*”: http://www.myspace.com/jamiexxlondon was palpable in the crowd that formed a crush to get to him – “can you see him? What can you see?” faceless voices demanded outside the Blogger’s Delight stage at Field Day. There wasn’t much happening – an unassuming young man standing over the decks with his head down, dressed in black and expressing nothing but mild concentration – but it said something about the unreachable, enigmatic quality of his career that Jamie’s audience were ecstatic over this opportunity to glimpse him as human, to connect with him under the umbrella of his music.

When a remix of the xx’s Fantasy hummed from the speakers, the crowd erupted in grateful recognition, in appreciation of the origins that seep through Jamie xx’s work, which form the foundation of his musical identity. NY Is Killing Me , teased out over a couple of tracks, also coursed through the audience in waves of gratitude when it finally dropped. The growling echoes of Gil Scott Heron’s voice asked “Don’t you know?”, and the crowd leapt in eagerness to show that they did.

Jamie’s crown jewel, the Rolling in the Deep reshuffle , came in the form of the “*Heatwave Refix*”: http://www.theheatwave.co.uk/music/item/adelejamiexx-rollingintheheat/ , which seemed appropriate in the sweltering tousle of bodies, fighting for space and for a chance to grasp a snippet of this music in its live, animated form. Jamie was humble and quiet, and left the stage quickly when the track bled out and the crowd screamed. The spotlight flickered, he set the stage on fire, and doused it just as quickly. I’m looking forward to being able to see him again in a less frantic, more slow-burning experience, such as his upcoming collaboration with Quayola on the 11th August.