Jamie xx curates bold setlist featuring In Colour tracks for concert

Longtime fans will remember his work with English indie pop band, The xx. He was always there, in the background, slightly hidden yet an integral part of their signature sound — one best known for its hollow bass whisperings and clapping beats.

But lately, Jamie xx has been touring his debut album In Colour, an electronic project that, ahead of its release, was streamed on iTunes with colorful visuals that changed with each sound. It has also dropped hints at what to expect for The xx’s forthcoming album. Yet, Jamie Smith is something more than a fraction of The xx: He is bold and soulful.

Taking the stage in front of a sold-out crowd on Sunday night, the English music producer curated a two-hour dance party at the Shrine Expo Hall Auditorium, mixed with some of his own compositions, disco samples and jungle beats. The set flowed freely, and though it was not improvised, various tracks were chosen on the spot as Jamie dug deep into a nearby box of vinyl for portions of the night. Jamie played his audience as he teased out familiar notes from tracks of In Colour. He rarely played the record’s tracks in full, making an already eager crowd even more excited.

Jamie xx took the stage at 11 p.m., after DJ Harvey opened the show. From there, Jamie’s 120-minute performance took the audience into a beautiful multicolored musical voyage. Those in attendance bobbed to the beat and pumped their fists, filling the dance floor for an eagerly anticipated evening — after all, the show was moderately priced at a small-capacity venue. It was a true end to the weekend, as not many artists can hit a venue on Sunday night and evoke the same reaction as Jamie xx’s.

One of the evening’s highlights was undoubtedly when he played The xx’s “Sunset,” a song about the pain shared by estranged lovers. Jamie’s remix stays true to the original. As the track’s energy increased, an abrupt break welcomed the soothing vocals from Romy Madley Croft. “Sunset” served to a crowd eager to hear Jamie play more from his The xx days. Jamie also sampled Lana del Rey and performed his hits “All Under One Roof Raving” and “Girl.”

There was perhaps no bigger moment than “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times).” The unsuspecting banger off In Colour is based around a sample of The Persuasions’ 1971 song “Good Times.” The track was the most concentrated dose of vocals heard in Jamie’s set. It was a bridge between the abstract passages that had come before and the approaching moment when the rainbow lights would stop shining and the smoke would dissipate. But before that happened, Jamie closed off his performance with the solemn yet hopeful “Loud Places.” There was still some time to dance and laugh to the captivating, ethereal sound of Jamie xx.