Jesse Mac Cormack – Joy Review

What does Jesse Mac Cormack sound like?

Maximalist electronic dance music.

The review of ‘Joy’ by Jesse Mac Cormack

Remixes can lead you up strange garden paths. I first discovered Montreal-based musician and producer Jesse Mac Cormack through his remixes of Helena Deland. Now I’ve ventured into his own music just in time for his new EP ‘Joy’. In an age where everything is measured and constricted, ‘Joy’ is an EP stuffed to the gills with unabashed electronic dance music. It is maximalist in every way. There is no skimping on the big uplifting moments, nor are there many breakdowns to cool off for long. Jesse goes hard, and I’m all for it.

It is slightly lazy to wave Caribou and Four Tet into the discussion, but I think it’s relevant because Jesse Mac Cormack uses his singer-songwriter roots to inject a soulful, worldly nature into his music. ‘No Real Reason’ is the best example of this. Jesse’s breathy vocals glide over shimmering desert synths and mid-tempo beats. Perhaps Kiasmos with a gritty edge is a more apt description, but Jesse works the worldly influences into the more razor-edged synths beautifully. It’s a rare moment of mid-tempo respite during the EP.

Elsewhere, we have frazzled bassline loops that crank down their notes under the weight of the industrial beats. The entire song is like a collection of hollow sirens blaring a warning of hedonism that gets progressively more unhinged as each 8 bars of music unfolds. You can feel this track in your bones – bring a subwoofer that can handle it. Whilst ‘Joy’ has angsty urgency, ‘All I Want To Be’ is more euphoric and uplifting. It wouldn’t be out of place as part of an anthemic club set. The climactic pre-finale features a rousing tube synth that mimics an engine, and it roars over the top of the track, bending its notes like a guitar solo. I’m reminded of Armand van Halen’s remix of Tori Amos’ ‘Professional Widow’ with the unusual whirring synth there. The two share similar DNA.

Taking me back to mid-’90s house music is ‘Stop’. Bright keys, synth stabs, and a tumbling percussion loop make this an irresistible throwback. Think Nightcrawlers but with a fully beefed-up bassline that loves the wide and rubbery feel, and you’ll be in the right ballpark. ‘Taking From Me’ borrows from everything we’ve heard but adds Jesse’s vocals to bring a soulful aspect to the anthemic power chords. The only potential miss on the EP is ‘Vessel’. It is a short 70-second piece that sounds like the musical equivalent of clearing one’s throat before the next track. I really liked the quirky approach, but the song fades away before it gets going.

That minor misfire aside, ‘Joy’ is… an absolute joy to listen to. Yes, I hate myself for writing that, but it’s true. Each track gets the blood bumping, the feet tapping, and the arse shaking. The detailed layers and production of the EP stand out as a fantastic effort, and I love how Jesse Mac Cormack nods to nostalgia but doesn’t parody it. He does his own thing too, whilst mediating between the past, present, and future. An excellent example of maximalist dance music.

Also… I want that bunny costume…

Recommended track: All I Want To Be

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