Feel Something

Jaymes Young is a modern singer/songwriter, which means he emphasizes texture as much as composition. He's not alone in this. The 2010s are awash with sensitive souls who meld the sultry gloss of alt-R&B and the confessionals of folktronica. What makes Young and his 2017 debut, Feel Something, stand apart from the pack is that he concentrates as much on his singing as he does on texture. He can lean into a lonesome, plaintive wail as easily as he cruises along with a haunted murmur, skills that suit the shifting tones and textures of Feel Something. This may mean that Feel Something makes a greater impact as sheer sound than as a collection of songs -- each track seems to crest to a climax driven by the production, not the composition -- but that's where Young's strengths as a singer are an asset. Since he does carry some power as a vocalist, it never seems like he's riding the waves of sound; it seems as if he's helping to push them forward. As such, Feel Something is coolly effective, delivering upon its promise to be a chillout record glimmering with hints of emotion. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine