[Above image credit – A.A.L]
Aside from his unquestionable ability to create celebrated, genre-defining music, part of Nicolas Jaar’s allure as a producer is his willingness to evolve and progress.
The diversity of his output, spanning a career already into its second decade, has allowed him to maintain prominence as one of electronic music’s greatest innovators. Whether releasing music under his own name or as part of the now sadly defunct Darkside duo, listeners have learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to a Nicolas Jaar record.
Which brings us to his most recent release, under the ‘A.A.L. (Against All Logic)’ moniker. Known only to those fans that have trawled the discography from his label ‘Other People’, this guise is yet another opportunity for Jaar to express himself in a different form and style.
Whilst his releases under other aliases can often feel hazy and obscure, the music from A.A.L. is simple and upfront. Demonstrating tried and tested house music techniques in the form of catchy vocal loops and repeated 4/4 time signatures (both of which are rare in the rest of his releases), it almost feels like this is a comfort zone for Jaar; somewhere to retreat and, ultimately, have fun.
And it is clear that Jaar has enjoyed the production of his latest album, ‘2012-2017’. Our highlight from the album is the hugely enjoyable ‘Some Kind of Game’. With its euphoric Pastor T.L. Barret sample and reliable kicks and hi-hats, this track succeeds in bearing all of the classic Jaar hallmarks beneath its surface whilst delivering wholesome satisfaction throughout.