Ahead of his set at Floyd on August 6 (billed as a "Road to III Points" gig, as he'll be returning for the festival in October, a regular stop for him), New Times has picked five essential Jacques Green tracks to prep you for what's sure to be an epic return of his to the 305.
"Another Girl"
"Another Girl" was the track that put Greene on the underground dance music map in 2011. The angelic, echoing vocals are Ciara's, sampled from her 2010 break-up slow jam "Deuces" (originally recorded by Chris Brown), which float over an effervescent, buoyant beat. In 2014, Pitchfork named it one of the best 200 tracks of the decade so far. Its creative and engaging use of sampling, with a warm touch of alt-R&B energy, sets the tone for his following releases."Lotus Flower" (Jacques Greene Rmx)
A few months after "Another Girl," Greene was tapped for Radiohead's The King of Limbs remix album, TKOL RMX 1234567, serving up a perfectly trippy, chopped up version of "Lotus Flower." Extending the track two extra minutes beyond the original, he adds the perfect amount of additional texture and haunting-ness to and around Thom Yorke's piercing vocals.Not only is it a rare perfect Radiohead remix, it affirmed Greene as an innovative dance music producer who could also serve up unforgettable remixes.
"Painted Faces," featuring Tinashe
On "Painted Faces," Greene pairs up with sultry R&B queen Tinashe to deliver a smoky, emotive, and energetic after-midnight bop. Part of the "Songs From Scratch" release series that paired two artists together in the studio to make a song in a day, it's a perfect blend of deep house, R&B, and pop, propelled by Tinashe's heavenly vocals.The song seems like the answer to what "Another Girl" may have sounded more like if Ciara had been in the studio laying down live vocals and lyrics with Greene. Released in 2013, it also points to a future of more collaborative Greene, which emerged on 2019's Dawn Chorus.
"Do It Without You"
One of the lead singles from the Dawn Chorus album — his sophomore LP in which he used gear and vocals to create original sounds instead of samples — "Do It Without You" pulses with an infectious, propelling energy of freedom. The beat is backed by UK garage-esqe kick drums and repeated "woos" that affirm the track's only lyrics: "I do it without you."It provides a taste of the new sonic territory he explores on Dawn Chorus, with support from instrumentalists, vocalists, even other producers, including Lost in Translation film composer Brian Reitzell, along with the gear favored by artists he admires, including a compressor used by Alan Braxe and Fred Falke. The song got placement on the pilot of HBO's new finance drama, Industry, during a club scene, exposing his music to a new audience (as evidenced by the comments on the YouTube video), as well as imagining his immersive club soundtracks on the screen, something that would be great to witness more of.
"Promise"
His second track of 2021 and first released as an NFT, "Promise" is a minimal, floating track perfect for a sunrise set or winding down after the club. Dropped before most people had access to the COVID-19 vaccine, its chill and expansive energy feels hopeful, like a promise that better, more carefree times are ahead.With the NFT, he sold publishing rights to the track for 13 Ethereum (worth $29,773 at the time of sale in February), along with the message: "As we explore the possibilities of art on the chain and the promise of web3, we can maybe begin to let go of old systems." While it is difficult to predict exactly what NFTs and digital music and art consumption will look like in the future, it feels rather certain that Greene will keep exploring new sounds and provide the dance music world with more expansive, immersive, and thoughtful sonic artworks.
Jacques Green. 11 p.m. Friday, August 6, at Floyd, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 786-618-9447; floydmiami.com. Tickets cost $20 to $30 via eventbrite.com.