jaxsen is an intriguing artist and musician from the Kentucky area, making gorgeous sonic soundscapes that have a unique atmosphere to them. I came across his EP, THE PLAY, by chance, and found myself eager to review it, due to how unique it sounds! As always, a full stream can be found at the end of this review.
By Jane Howkins
THE PLAY opens up with you gave me light, bringing listeners into jaxsen’s quirky world instantly. The backing instrumentation is really interesting, having a unique dream-pop quality to it that’s quite beautiful at times. jaxsen’s low vocals appear soon after – they’re a bit of an acquired taste, but they suit the genre of music surprisingly well. The percussion is slow and quiet, but again, it fits nicely with the backing sounds.
impose is up next, starting out with a fast and frantic sounding beat, that sounds almost like a piece of machinery chugging along. This beat characterises the entire song, with some pretty piano/synth melodies appearing soon after to provide a contrasting rhythm that’s still quite fast. The vocals are more distant sound here, allowing the music to truly shine through.
shackles changes things up once more – the piano is more at the forefront here, with the light percussion being once again relegated to the background. There’s also a quiet bassline somewhere in there – it’s the sort of song you’ll have to listen to several times over to fully appreciate everything.
i gave you my heart is one of the most experimental songs on the EP (which is saying something), due to the way the vocal effects are used, laying different textures on top of each other. A beeping synth melody works its way through the music, having an almost 80s quality which suits it surprisingly well. It’s different, but it somehow works.
i’d rather be alone is one of the slowest songs on the EP, rounding it out nicely. The track has a lovely textural quality, with lots of different percussion elements mixing with the synth effects, adding an industrial sound to proceedings. The track ends the EP with a steady beat that sounds like a heartbeat, alongside some pretty synthlines.
jaxsen’s music won’t be for everyone, but those into their more experimental music should find something to love on THE PLAY, particularly if you like your dream pop/synth pop music. It’s good to hear someone trying something a little different!
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