Album Review: Jamie Woon, Mirrorwriting

16 May 2011

by Jazz Lewis

With track titles such as Shoulda, Tmrw and Gravity, at first glance it seems there is no mistaking which age group this pop-riddled album is aimed at; however mere minutes into trac one, it is evident that Woon has produced a mature, clean sounding album, complete with genre-crossing tracks that are unique to the 28-year-old’s style. Woon has received widespread acclaim with track Night Air, which reached 67 on the UK charts, and Lady Luck, which is essentially four minutes of high-pitched melodies, provided by Woon. The similarities to James Blake, another British artist producing glitching, challenging pop, are immediate, but Woon possesses enough spark to stand alone.

Mirrorwriting embraces calm, soulful, R&B inspired tunes that collaborate nicely with a squeaky-clean pop sound. Night Air is a perfect example of this welcome clash. The track boasts an airy and rhythmic sound whilst Woon defiantly vocalises, taking clear control of the song with his voice front and centre as the main instrument. Night Air is a fair indication of what is to come.

Throughout the album one thing is for sure – Woon’s voice is a weapon and he sure knows how to use it; Woon hailed from the same singing school as Amy Winehouse, whom in similar fashion uses her voice as the driving force throughout her music. The entire album takes a minimalist approach, with offbeat rhythms, crafty guitar and staggering bass lines – all of which ensures Woon's voice is unmistakably the key element.

Although Mirrorwriting may be an acquired taste, it can be appreciated that what Woon has done, he has done well. The album pleasantly straddles pop and soul, almost to a fault; this album will gain many fans and should see Woon mirror James Blake’s meteoric rise, but Mirrorwriting may also deter listeners baffled by the differing aspects and difficult entry point. Pop music was never meant to be easy.