Posted by Two years ago, the loveable enigma that is Jimothy Lacoste burst onto the UK music scene. Dressed head-to-toe in preppy tailoring and cavorting on public transport, the North Londoner became a viral phenomenon and cult fashion icon almost overnight, famed for his tongue-in-cheek takes on modern life.
Since then, Jimothy’s teenage bedroom experiments have morphed from niche pastiche to genuine musical flex. He’s filmed a mini-doc for British Vogue, joined Black Butter Records and gained an enviable feature on The Streets’ latest release, ‘None of Us Are Getting Out Of This Alive’.
At 17 tracks long, the North London musician’s new album, ‘The Safeway’, marks his most adventurous work to date. Building on playfully ironic hits ‘Getting Busy’ and ‘Future Bae’, Jimothy’s debut still trades on his characteristic chord-progressions, catchy choruses and quirky tropes. ‘Getting Scared’ sees Jimothy dispensing tough-love life-advice over jangly instrumentals, encouraging his listeners to chase their dreams and “get the bag”. On ‘Getting Love and Affection’, he’s the empathetic friend advising on relationship issues.
But Jimothy Lacoste is, if anything, an artist of contrasts. New-found fame has certainly left its mark on the once innocent pop-sensation, now a ladies’ man on ‘Getting Victoria Jones’ and disillusioned with drugs on ‘Getting Molly’. There’s undeniably a steelier, darker tone to ‘The Safeway’, played out in grunge beats on ‘Getting Gassed’, and the eery, ska-delivery of ‘Getting Serious’. “Looking all young like Kylie Minogue”, Jimothy pulls off MC braggadocio with humorous ease, switching it up for danceable 80s-synths that are crying out for some of his signature dance moves.
‘The Safeway’ could have slipped into satirical over-kill, its home-made production growing tiresome. And yet Jimothy Lacoste manages to pull together its myriad inflections like the self-assured, DIY legend that he’s become. As with many of the best things in life, it will leave you wondering: how can something that should be so wrong, feel so right?
8/10
Words: Caitlin O’Reilly
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