Review: Jacob Collier´s “Wherever I Go”
- by Martín Cacho
- in Reviews
With the release of his latest single, we are getting a new glimpse of the upcoming fourth volume of Jacob's “Djesse”' slated for release next February.
Staying true to the “Djesse tradition", this track boasts collaborations with intriguing artists and Collier´s friends, including the soul-pop brothers Grace and Clyde Lawrence from the band 'Lawrence.' Additionally, for the great surprise of many fans, they've enlisted the help of the master Michael McDonald himself.
As per Jacob's and friend´s revelations in interviews, this track aspires to recapture the essence of their youthful musical influences.
Among all of those memorable inspirations, these longtime friends intended to express their own version of a “Michael McDonald´s song”. In fact, the idea of inviting him to sing the song came to them during this creative process, when Clyde noticed how well the song was achieving its purpose.
Now, let's delve deeper into the song's distinctive form and essence.
“Wherever I Go” opens with an intriguing 5:2 polyrhythm, where two melodic lines play different rhythms simultaneously. One phrase divides time equally into five parts with bell-like sounds, while the other line, supported by a synthesizer, divides time into two equal parts. For Jacob Collier's usual listeners, this might not sound strange, but in the pop scene, such polyrhythms are so uncommon that they can be disorienting for unaccustomed ears.
This is particularly relevant because just after the aforementioned phrase, McDonald begins singing about a confusing feeling of despair. His storytelling depicts a man's perspective on a relationship that seemingly has no apparent problems, yet 'something' is slowly deteriorating. The man can't explain why or how, but he's certain that his lover no longer feels the same way about him.
Following this narrative, the disorienting rhythm strikes at the end, emphasizing the unsettling nature of this situation. Subsequently, Jacob, Clyde, and Grace Lawrence take turns developing the rest of the story, embodying different characters in a play. Each participation concludes with those disorienting five-against-two ellipses.
As a whole, the song narrates the story of a beautiful relationship falling apart without any apparent reason, without any malicious spark igniting a fire in the forest, which makes it particularly painful. However, despite the polyrhythms, theme, and story, the song feels remarkably uplifting. The soul-infused chords, lively horns, powerful basslines and a vibrant rhythm; all of them exudes a positive and energetic vibe.
Ultimately, despite the theme, the song leaves us with the message: 'you're with me wherever I go.' This duality is the reason for its poignant beauty and pain.
The song effectively addresses loneliness but also a healthy way of overcoming it. All of this through musical artistry and simple but poignant storytelling.
