As the new Jay Som record’s opening track ‘Lipstick Stains’
begins with a string instrument stirring the listener’s emotions followed by
the haunting voice of Melina Duterte; the mastermind of Jay Som and this
record; you can’t help but feel that you’re in for something special. This
track lays the groundwork for what the record will be, a collection of
soul-bearing, vulnerable songs that are ambitious and explorative in their
musical endeavours. It has claustrophobia-inducing levels of intimacy whilst
also being so full of colour and texture sonically that it could fill the
largest of arenas with aplomb. It is such an assured and technically impressive
piece of work that you would never guess it was a debut full-length record from
a 22 year old musician who plays all the instruments, it’s really something to
behold.
This is a record about relationships. Duterte may only be 22
years old but evidenced by the lyrics of this record, she’s had her fair share
of relationships and issues. She demonstrates an acute self-awareness of her
own flaws. On the track ‘Remain’ it’s almost as if we’re privy to her
confessing as her aching voice repeats the sentiment that things have changed
for her and she knows it’s not going to work out in this particular
relationship as she sings “Our pinkie promises were never meant for this”. On ‘One
More Time, Please’; probably the most chilled-out and upbeat track on this
record, it evokes images of sitting in the sun and being with your mates and
just enjoying life; Duterte mulls over how strained her relationship has become
and calls out to the other person “Why won’t you give me peace of mind?” It’s
heart-breaking in what she is saying but it’s effortlessly hidden amongst the
happiness inducing music of the track. It challenges the listener to find joy
and beauty during the bad times, just as Duterte has with this superb
high-point of the record and with the record as a whole.
Although the lyrics are doubtlessly the strongest part of
the record, the musicianship is not far behind. Just as Duterte is willing to
explore the deep recesses of her personal experiences, she is just as
comfortable exploring different sounds to make this more than a run-of-the-mill
dream pop record. The aforementioned ‘One More Time, Please’ is super chilled
out but closes out with a blitzing psychedelic laced guitar solo that skilfully
demonstrates Duterte’s axe-playing prowess. The deliciously groovy ‘Baybee’
follows on from this with oceanic-sounding percussion and funky R’n’B textures
whilst ‘Take It’ is an absolutely massive track that evokes images of Duterte
turning animalistic in her bedroom whilst developing this record. All of these
tracks are borne out of the dream-pop aesthetic but these explorations and
Duterte’s vulnerable, soul-stirring lyrics make them so much more. Duterte
defiantly states “I’ll be the one who sticks around” on the banging ‘The Bus
Song’. If she keeps making visceral and affecting music like this record, then she'll be around for a very long time.