Jamiroquai’s ‘Automaton’ first debuted on BBC Radio on Thursday. Now, it’s gone viral among fans. Is this the best track of 2017 (so far)?
Let’s keep this one simple. If you like Jamiroquai, you’ll like this just-released track. It blends the group’s classic 90s style with a some modern touches, and a beat that moves. And, changes right when you need it to.
Actually, most people don’t realize that Jamiroquai has been packing clubs and festivals for decades. This is an artist that first surfaced in the 1990s, but one that never went away.
Check out ‘Automaton’. You won’t be disappointed.
Actually, this is the first release in a long time. The group’s last album, Rock Dust Light Star, came out in 2010. The latest single is the first track from the upcoming album, Automaton, arriving March 31st on Virgin EMI.
Jamiroquai is not just one guy (another popular misconception). The group is fronted by Jay Kay, and backed by a number of different musicians. That includes percussionists Sola Akingbola and Derrick McKenzie, both of whom have been with the group since 1994.
In terms of mainstream popularity, Jamiroquai’s biggest hit remains ‘Virtual Insanity’. That track, released under Epic Records in the 90s, propelled the group to a Grammy (among other accolades).
Then, a big chunk of America moved on, though pockets of intense fandom emerged in places like Eastern Europe. Indeed, this is a group that has performed hundreds of gigs since the 90s. And, just like old school pioneers like Daft Punk, are enjoying a retro resurgence as EDM has exploded.
Upcoming Jamiroquai tour dates:
March:
28th: Paris, France (La Selle Pleyel)
31st: London, England (Roundhouse)
May:
25th: Tokyo, Japan (Tokyo International Forum)
27th-28th: Seoul, South Korea (Seoul Jazz Festival)
June:
June 17th: Athens, Greece (Release Athens Festival)
July:
9th: Rotterdam, Netherlands (North Sea Jazz Festival)
11th: Florence, Italy (Visarno Arena)
14th: Pori, Finland (Pori Jazz)
16th: Aix-Les-Bains, France (Musilac)
18th: Locarno, Switzerland (Moon & Stars)
22nd: Ostrava, Czech Republic (Colours of Ostrava)
August:
5th: Zambujeira do Mar, Portugal (Sudoeste)
12th: Cornwall, England (Boardmasters)
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The song title is “AUTOMATON” and not “AUTOMATION”.
I’m a fan and it’s a cool song, but the vocal and music in the verse sections don’t mesh that well. Chorus is tight.
Brian Eno may have said to Bowie that Moroder’s “I Feel Love” was the sound of the
future.. however I think this record has elements that could be very well the sound
of today’s future..
Max Martin could take these elements and make a hundred new hits in 2017
I’m a HUGE fan of Jamiroquai but the chorus is the only redeeming quality of this song. It’s like the verse is a different song all together. No amount of repeat listening is going to make any better.
I’ll reserve further judgment once the remixes come out to see if they can rescue what has promise but fails to deliver.
I don’t hear anything special here at all
I´m 100% agree with you. It is the evolution of their music what still let Jamiroquai to be be active after 25 years! For sure we will have more of them!
Best track of 2017???? WHA???? BARF!!!
Jamiroquai is not a good band any more. Thinking about their first albums and now. They have decreased the quality of their music in order to reach more people. Jason Kay’s voice is nothing special unless he tries some jazzy stuff. And nowadays he does not do that, so rather than listening this techno song i will listen artists like bruno mars or lady gaga. They have much much better songs.
I think it’s quite original.. there are music phrases that sound familiar to other songs but that’s true to a lot of pop.
The fade-out ending is the easy way out of a song.. better to write an actual ending..
What I like:
The special audio effects, noises, synthesizers, voice.
The weird verse movement and it’s bassline pattern
The 80s style text-to-speech computer voice
Chorus topline melody is quite hooky with a surprise chord in the 4th measure
Automaton didn’t quite do it for me but I did like Cloud 9 which they just dropped off the same album.