In 2015, Jamie xx had reached the peak of his career. His band The xx had become a touchstone for lovers of hybrid pop, and he had won success with his most prestigious project, the remix of Gil Scott Heron's final album, We're New here. That's not to say that his first (and in 2020, still the only) solo album was expected. And the English musician brilliantly met expectations by delivering one of the best albums of the year. In Colour, in addition to summing up the Zeitgeist of 2015, was also an authentically British record, with the broth of cultures that overflow on every track, from the opener, Gosh, which samples both the vocals of MC Strings on an old jungle track from 1995 and the drums of Lyn Collins' Think (About It), for an undefinable but formidable track, as well as the awesome Sleep Sound, somewhere between Burial and Four Tet, with little bits of Alicia Keys thrown in. Another great moment of the album: the hit I Know there's Gonna Be (Good Times), which highlights American rapper Young Thug and Jamaican star Popcaan, which would go on to record many international features after this success. And a perfect ending, with Girl, which borrows from Arthur Baker (the chorus "I want your love" from Freeez's super-80s hit I. O. U.), The Beach Boys and Erlend Øye's band, The Whitest Boy Alive. Quite a symbol. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz