Tracks

Project Jellybean: "From Me (For You)"

(2012)

By George Bass | 4 February 2012

Not to be confused with Channel 9’s drivable lounge chair, Project Jellybean is Joe Gillick of south London, who at fifteen left school, got himself a copy of MODPlug Tracker and now, six years later has this: “a collective group of musicians and artists + one Dutch girl.” Trying to succeed where others fudged up in joining synths and classical instruments, Jellybean’s sound has its edge in Miss Denmark, whose haunting vocals are so fragile Nordic Múm should be filing a lawsuit. Probably the reason why her identity’s kept secret.

Lickity Split, the debut EP, has been in production since Gillick’s school days, and “From Me (For You)” is its first big seducer, filled with the kind of broken rush you can only get from ditching exams. The instruments and computers are really are fused here: hooting recorders fold into electropop, the drill percussion too staggered to allow it near the dance floor. Gillick obviously misses some of the kids he got registered with as when the Dutch girl sighs “Cut me off / Why don’t you” he mumbles a sorry accompaniment, washed over with embarrassment. His inventiveness pulls him out of the slump, and stirs frozen guitar, woodwind, drum pads, and operetta solos together—an intimacy like watching Sigur Rós eating pretzels. Strange that he chose the zany/generic name to go with it. Even if he fails to set the iTunes search alight or look credible on Massive Attack’s “also liked” list—there’s a strong early similarity here—he’ll at least know missing exams hasn’t harmed him. There’s a future in production just waiting.