22 year old Brown student Nicolas Jaar has graced the musical world with a magnificent two hour mix. For those that missed it Friday night, stream here it for free (courtesy of BBC Radio 1). Among the artists seamlessly mixed into Jaar’s self-termed “bluewave” are Jay-Z, Marvin Gaye, Aphex Twin, Charles Mingus, The Field, Beyoncé, and Ricardo Villalobos. In true post-internet fashion, Jaar favors a diverse palette that includes minimalist-house, poetry, classical piano and strings, and jazz. The hybrid is both modern and impressionistic.
The vibe flows from sticky smooth beats to avant-garde sound play. Chainsaws and white noise carve out spacious atmospheres, low distorted voices add gravity. Sometimes the mix morphs into solemn storytelling or infectious pop or honeyed female vocals. Even though it’s such a mosaic, Jaar stitches it together with hisses and clicks: sounds of malfunctioning technology. From the washes of wind-chimes to the bold declaration “There is no god”, BBC Radio 1 aired one hell of a show Friday night.
Nicolas Jaar recently performed at MoMA PS1, produced one of the best albums of 2011, Space Is Only Noise, and has his own record label, Clown and Sunset. Oh, and he hasn’t even graduated from Brown yet.