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Yesterday, Lauren Schwartzberg, who occasionally writes for Pigeons & Planes, pointed me in the direction of Jules Born. She interviewed him for Vice and premiered his new EP. You may be familiar with Jules from his other project, Voices of Black, but this his first release as a solo artist. I decided to check it out, so I did what I always do, which is probably an indication of someone who spends too much time listening to unfamiliar music—I started on the song with the most plays.
In the case of Jules Born’s debut Memorybilia EP, that song was “Alone in This Town.”
This method of approaching new projects by unfamiliar artists is effective, but it creates a few issues. In the case of Jules Born, it has created one glaring problem: I can’t stop listening to this fucking song. I tend to get obsessed with songs, and when I do, it’s over. I can no longer pay attention to other music.
I have forced myself to listen to the entire project and it’s very good. “Ask Someone” and “All I Know” are also both immediate standouts, but right now, I still can’t get over “Alone in This Town.” Jules is one of those artists impossible to classify. He mixes futuristic experimentation with old school vibes, electronic abrasion, and a touch of strange funk. If you’re a fan of Gordon Voidwell, you’ll probably like it.
“Maybe we should just call it urban contemporary,” Jules said in the interview. “I don’t even know what urban means. Black music that’s not R&B and not hip-hop, I guess. Should I just own that?”
Listen to the EP below (or play “Alone in This Town” over and over), and read the interview here. Download the EP here.
