In 2009, jj’s debut album jj no. 2 sent the unknown duo spiraling through the blogosphere. It was their meditated, flawlessly flawed sound and their ability to turn Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop” into ear butter (“Ecstasy”) that caused Pitchfork and Gorilla vs. Bear to collectively wet themselves. The duo has embraced an entirely more hushed and minimal tone for their sophomore album, from whistle solos on “Light” to chime melodies on “No Escapin’ This,” which closes the album like the last day of summer.
This article appears in Apr 1-7, 2010.