When artists decide to step down, they usually grace their fans with a reflective piece or two that encompass their last-gasp artistic expressions, in addition to the discharge of some rather melancholic vibes. The latter claim, especially, is evident on Tommy Jacob’s latest (and presumably, his last) EP, Last, but the contents are more than just mediative gems, as the Parisian has exquisitely concocted six gorgeous pieces that emit a plethora of emotions, combining an overabundance of future sounds with a luring and lugubrious tone throughout. “I Want You” kicks off the conclusive project of the Frenchman, with Iman Europe’s soulful vocals propelling the pristine atmosphere constructed. With vintage Blues chords and slow-dripping water, Iman’s echoing vocals come to life on the mellifluous drum beat , giving the track its downright sorrowful character. The titles throughout Last are almost self-explanatory, as “Dreams End” diffuses a sense of lost desire right from the onset, especially due to the perforating vocal cuts and trembling chord progressions. Jacob does have a strong reputation for his percussion, and its one undeniably striking on this piece, as grainy, metallic sounds elbow the uniquely crafted drums and add to the overall potency of the piece. The third piece that drew our attention is the month-old jewel, “About Us”, that sees itself saturated with hovering chords, clean, adeptly filtered vocal cuts, and further tinny, textural inclusions. From the very get-go , the arpeggiation of the biting synth will have you immersed, only to seize you further with the drum sequence and the rumbling , ever-changing echoes. The piece is steered along additionally by the mentioned arpeggiated setting, which welcomes several percussive elements and makes room for the exploitation of those aforementioned samples. It’s certainly a pity to bid farewell to the class act that Tommy Jacob has come to be, but we tremendously appreciate the efforts he's been brewing up, and those especially on the compact, commemorative body of work that Last represents. Stream all of the project via SoundCloud.
Tommy Jacob