This is a review from new Mission Creek contributor Bernayo. If you are in Iowa city, you may know him better as one of the members of the musical spaceship that is Dream Thieves. Here, he tackles the debut album of Nicolas Jaar, The Space is Only Noise.

Nicolas Jaar – (2011) The Space is Only Noise [Circus Company]

Son of Chilean architect Alfredo Jaar, 21 year old Nicolas constructs a debut album with level of complexity that extends further than loops on repeat. Jaar makes organic compositions using water as the conceptual element to give a feeling of fluidity in the space between tracks. Thanks to his abilities as a multi-instrumentalist and classically trained composer, Jaar fuses well crafted melodies and chord progressions with subtle driving beats. The “blue wave” or “art-house” as he describes his style of electronica is a feeling, an emotion. The use of traditional instruments (violins, piano, sax,…) in between layers of electronic ambiences, polyrhythmic rhythms and post-acid jazz grooves creates an ecosystem of sounds with erotic and melancholy moods.

But the most impressive quality from Nicolas (la or las?) is his strength as a producer. His use of French samples as an instrumental layer to emphasize the sensuality in the melodies is impressive. His further skills come out through his molding such an eclectic array of influence without losing the composure and flow of the album. Trentemoller, Kruder & Dorfmesteir, St Germain, Barry Adamson, Jamie Lidell are a few names that come quickly to mind as predominant influences in The Space is Only Noise. As a whole, it’s accessible and satisfying listening that is both soft and elegant.

A must show for me to see in 2011-12, Jaar has been performing with a live band, which consists of Will Epstein on the saxophone and keyboards with Ian Sims and Dave Harrington on drums and guitar respectively, leaving Jaar to handle the vocals, piano, and most of the electronics. He has been already praised by artists like Blake and Laurent Garnier. Jaar was also chosen as the outstanding artists at this year’s Sonar Festival in Barcelona & SBSR Festival in Lisbon.

Bruce Lee once said “empty your mind, be formless…shapeless, like water. You put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot”. For Jaar, if you put water into music, it becomes the music.

Similar artists – Four Tet, Pantha du Prince, and Blake.