[REVIEW] Jeshi Finds His Groove on Headrush
Credit: Blackwall
Since his 2022 debut Universal Credit, Jeshi has consistently proved that he’s one of the most distinctive voices to come out of London. From the days of The Worlds Spinning Too Fast to The Great Stink to Airbag Woke Me Up to now, his sound has continued to evolve, and with Headrush, it feels like everything has truly clicked into place. An album focused on exploring his experience of London nightlife whilst highlighting some of its darker tones ‘Headrush’ blends his signature storytelling with a bold range of electronic influences paired with album artwork shot in the one and only corsica. Jeshi has created a record that feels both familiar and completely new. More electronic, more collaborative and more adventurous than ever, this is Jeshi at his absolute best.
I have been a fan of Jeshi since the Universal Credit days, regularly attending events of his from EP launches to Clubland events. Whenever I’d see him at these events he’d always be on the decks. With Clubland he curated a line up of some of the finest DJ’s and producers. When reflecting on his earlier works with Ross from Friends and p-rallel those tracks contained something unique and special from day one. The electronic influence has always been there, so seeing Jeshi fully embrace it on Headrush and hearing what he’s created from that inspiration feels like a rewarding moment in his evolution as an artist.
A 28s opener, ‘mri’, sets the tone immediately. It’s a brief burst of anticipation, building excitement before seamlessly spilling into ‘peace at last’, featuring Ineffekt. It’s immediately clear that Jeshi has fully embraced the electronic direction he’s been moving towards over the past few years. We’re thrown straight into the album’s world, witnessing a version of Jeshi that has been brewing for some time as he maintains the individual sound he’s known and loved for. ‘PSYSCHO!’ shifts the mood, slowing things down with a more stylised sound that feels closer to Jeshi’s earlier work. It’s an early reminder of just how versatile he is. Released back in January alongside a striking visualiser, ‘champagne’ was an early tease of what Headrush had in store. Featuring Fredwave and Big Ever, it’s got that classic Jeshi feel, even as the album around it pushes into new territory.
It’s ‘make me sane’, featuring just lil, that really does it for me. It’s my standout so far, and quite possibly my favourite track on the album. In her own right, just lil is one of the most talented up and coming artists in the scene right now, having released an incredible EP ‘distant shade’ earlier this year - this collaboration is a special one. On ‘make me sane’ their voices and styles complement each other effortlessly and it’s something I want more and more of. Nothing beats the feeling of when two of your favourite artists get together and make a track that is pretty much perfect. It also captures everything I first loved about Jeshi’s music while showing just how far he’s come. Guys if you read this - please do it again - for me, you really ate that up. Okay moving on…
As we move onto ‘linea rossa’, one of the singles released ahead of the album, it feels like a snapshot of Headrush as a whole. It brings together the record’s different influences while showcasing Jeshi’s ability to ride electronic production without sacrificing his lyrical detail. This is undoubtedly one for the USB, built for the dancefloor but still rooted in the kind of storytelling that makes his music worth returning to. Then comes the title track, produced by X CLUB., which I’d say is the clearest statement of intent on the whole album. It’s made for moving your body and exercising your brain at the same time, bringing dancefloor energy without sacrificing substance and storytelling. The music video is another highlight, too. One of the most visually stunning and comically entertaining music videos I’ve seen this year. Jeshi has always had an incredible eye for visuals, and his ability to translate his sound into something equally compelling on screen is a talent in itself. The self directed music video highlights the multifaceted artistry of Jeshi as a whole.
‘at the wheel’ is another personal highlight. Slipping into a slower, liquid sound, it showcases the breadth of electronic influences Jeshi explores across the record. The fact that I’m finding some of the album’s slower tracks among my favourites is a testament to how well the whole thing works. Rather than feeling like a collection of experiments, Headrush sounds cohesive, with each shift in tempo and texture serving a purpose.
A brief 40s interlude, ‘cig’, offers a moment to catch your breath (pun kinda intended) before ‘carousels’ brings us back to a groovier, more familiar sound. There’s a clear nod to the London underground scene Jeshi came up through, grounding the album in the world that shaped him. Finally, ‘before u’ draws the record to a close. Its slower beat and lyrics that hit home feel like a comedown after the energy of the tracks that came before, bringing the record to a sonically beautiful conclusion.
Speaking to DORK, Jeshi described Headrush as “a lot more collaborative”, saying the process of making it “felt very different”. You can hear that throughout the record but this evolution makes even more sense when you consider his growing involvement in club culture. He’s not just randomly jumping on an electronic trend, it feels like a world he’s been moving towards for a while and now he’s bringing it all together. He’s always been an artist willing to push beyond expectations, and on Headrush, those risks have paid off more than ever. It’s a record that captures where he’s come from while hinting at just how far he could go. I hope it propels his career even further, because if there’s one thing Headrush makes clear, it’s that nobody is doing it quite like Jeshi.
Comments