Self-produced and engineered by Katie May (The 1975, Harry Styles) of Real World Studios, Jamie Beale makes a striking entrance onto the scene with his debut album Hello Nimbus. Navigating love, loss, identity, and purpose, Beale offers us a chance to escape into his world and subsequently, our own.
PHOTO BY COLIN HAWKINS
Written from a lonely period of COVID-19 isolation in 2020, Beale notes: "Essentially it was me trying to remain positive during an absolute rollercoaster of change. Creatively it gave me such a fresh perspective. I wanted to jump out of my comfort zone and try something I'd never done before, so I toyed with different genres, singing styles, and production; I wanted to self-produce a record and play most of the instruments heard on it. For me, it was an experiment to see what my music sounded like when it was almost entirely self-contained and to try and capture my imagination in audio form without any external influence."
The album begins with a dreamily distorted introduction quickly followed by the breezy beat of the first single, "Borderline". A song that aches to be blasted on the perfect beach day, Beale's luminescent vocals and nostalgic sound are infectious.
"King Godzilla", the second single, is sure to satisfy a craving for something a little bit funkier; meanwhile, "Champagne Problems", the third single, maintains that Tumblr-era vibe of "Borderline" through and through. Between the doleful lyrics and buoyant instrumentation, it feels just like a beloved The 1975 track. It has that beautifully heartbreaking main character energy.
The next track, "Cherry Cola", toys with jazzier elements that exemplify his vast diversity among genres. In this, he lets his effortlessly cool guitar riffs take center stage. "When It All Comes Down" is a stark contrast, but a quiet standout. Amidst the vibrancy and groove of it all, this song comes as a reminder that Beale has an incredible vocal tone. He bares it all, lyrically and sonically, which makes for a burst of raw honesty that is complimented by a stunningly intense slow build.
His crestfallen lyrics married with that signature airy sound shines in "The Rain". It is a gentle dip back into the chill bass and enchanting rhythms that he produces so well. Fair warning, it might be impossible to get "all we ever wanted was to be somebody" out of your head after listening to "We Go Back". This song has a spirited relatability that is completely addicting. Beale's musical high slopes back down with "Goodbye, Good luck". His voice is haunting and almost hypnotic on this tune, creating an elegant stillness that leads into the final 9-minute-long anthem titled, "Charade". A final note from Beale, this song is a pure creative climax. Every standout element on the album up until this point is thrust into one pot that melts into this ultimate showstopping jam. The guitar solo halfway through is arguably one of the greatest rewind-worthy moments.
Anybody longing for the iconic balmy, melancholic aesthetic of Tumblr in 2014 should add Hello Nimbus to their favorites immediately!
Listen to Hello Nimbus on Spotify and Apple Music. Follow Jamie Beale on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
by Jaylen Heady