Nicholas Jaar Releases Album Under AAL Alias

For fans of Nicholas Jaar’s Other People Record Labe, when an album shows up on the site, it’s treated as a big deal, so in February when the Against All Logic, Jaar’s alternative alias, album came out, it was a super big deal. See, the thing is this wasn’t just any Other People release, it was a release from the label head himself.

The album, called 2012-2017, is a compilation of previously released music and newer tracks. Sonically, it’s a chill house album filled with a cornucopia of soul and funk samples. The difference between this and other Jaar albums is it’s pretty straightforward structure wise. Previous tracks on other Jaar albums veer into abstraction like a Salvador Dali piece. 2012-2017 is generally a continuous groove with layers of samples thrown in and pulled out from time to time. It’s a very satisfying album as Nicholas Jaar has an incredible ear for great sounds. And he, of course, is a master at putting those sounds in the most interesting of places.

The album builds to a nice conclusion with “Flash in the Pan,” which opens like it’s the Bronx in 1980 and someone is playing around with some 808s. What happens in the next 6 minutes is a groovy stacking of melodic synths and various bleeps, bloops, and edits. Then on the final track of the album, “Rave On You,” Jaar steps closest he probably ever will to a big club banger. The result is a cerebral track that also serves as the easiest track on the album to get funky to on the dance floor.

Overall 2012-2017 might not beholden Jaar to big tent artist fans but if you want to try something a little more cerebral, then check this out.

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