There have been only a few singles that run this interestingly intriguing balance between nostalgic infectiousness and forward-thinking innovation. It’s been almost too easy for Jamcie’s “In The Clouds” to walk this tightrope. Based on the humble city of Exeter, UK, Jamcie (Jamie C) has produced a work both a tribute to UK Garage, harking back to the intimate corridors of memories, alongside generous introspection and lyrical poignancy. The production was handled by Saynoz (Oscar Almaraz) and polished into shape by the deft hands of Dustin Miller and Stuart Hawkes, serving as more than just a catchy song.
From the very first kick drum, this piece exhibits its UK Garage ancestry. With a skittering and shuffling 2-step beat, syncopated hi-hats, and deep compressed bass lines in homage to the genre’s heyday in the latter part of the 1990s and the early 2000s, it feels much contemporary-nature, housing spacey pads while complemented by shiny synths, thus making its title truly fitting.
The instrumental strikes that balance between being rhythmically propulsive and melodically introspective. The lush chord progressions carry the dreamy, euphoric vibe, while the low-end grooves keep the energy in the realm of gravity. This duality of floating and driving is what makes “In The Clouds” so captivating.
On the mixing side, which was done by Dustin Miller, things sound very clear so that every element has its own space in the sonic field. The highs of hi-hats are sparkling, the bassline is warm, and the vocals are super-clear. And there’s the mastering from Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis Studios, a name synonymous with excellence.
While the lushness plummets into the UK Garage tradition, the song does not sound restrained within any style. A mixture of rap style along with the uplifting instrumental leans toward the recommendation of enjoyment for listeners not privy to garage or hip-hop. Jamcie delivers so effortlessly and plainly that he just undoes any presumption of genre elitism.
The connection Jamcie has with the music comes through loud and clear, and he has been forthright in asserting that the dreamy, euphoric vibes of the instrumental guided his academic writing.
“In The Clouds” is just a glimpse of what will become quite a promising chapter for Jamcie. As he gears up for the 2025 UK leg of his solo tour, the genres will mingle from UK Garage, Drum and Bass, to Rap. The first mention of his forthcoming collaboration with Abi Flynn is buzzing, and if “In The Clouds” is anything to go by, Jamcie is beyond capable of delivering on that promise; a dreamy production, lyrics, and casual delivery all coalesce into something special. This is one of the best new songs I’ve heard, and I can’t stop listening to it. Listen to this one, I mean, drop everything you’re doing right now and stream this track.