Automaton

The return we have all been waiting for, and it does not disappoint. Let’s agree never to part again for so long unless the reunion promises to be just as joyous and refreshing as Automaton.

They may not find new listeners after a seven-year hiatus, but Automaton by Jamiroquai is a strong return and experimental contribution to popular music from a band too often identified solely for one song and its striking video.

Despite some naff phrases, dodgy song titles and a lot of robotic trickery, during times of grim austerity, the return of Jay Kay’s elite, escapist lifestyle--full of fast cars, fast girls and big bulldozing basslines--offers a flash of ostentatious fun.

‘Superfresh’ is less than the sum of its disco parts, though, while the less said about ‘Hot Property’ the better. But it picks up with ‘Something About You’ and ‘Summer Girl’, while ‘Carla’ is an electro-funk classic.

There are few bands who play classic disco-funk with as much genuine love for the genre and care in the productions as Kay and Jamiroquai. Ultimately, it's that sense of love and good vibes that drives much of Automaton.

They’re still figuring it out, but somehow, even their mistakes feel fresh.

This is a great album, perfect for a retro rave and I am happy to see the band reactivated. Hopefully, it won't take them another 7 years to release the next LP.

There's nothing quite as genuinely exciting as [the title track's] Aphex-meets-Bee-Gees disco, but its unorthodox elements are sprinkled across the album. [May 2017, p.32]

Weak spots include "Superfresh" and "Hot Property," staid disco-pop ditties offering outdated synth and vocoder machinations. But overall, Automaton is inspired, experimental and timeworn.

Ironically, though, it’s the more old-school tracks that furnish the highlights.

Automaton seems an audacious comeback, to say the least, but also strangely listenable.

Some may carp at the lyrics, but at 47, Kay retains pole position as pop's most revved-up playboy. [May 2017, p.107]

Highlights like "Shake It On" and "Nights Out In the Jungle" introduce a fresh, Random Access Memories-ian electric disco vibe, but too many others--particularly the repetitive "Summer Girl"--feel like tired, recycled outtakes from the band's heyday.

Musically, Automaton possesses a freewheeling swagger that's energizing and intensely danceable, and Jamiroquai updates their familiar brand of disco and funk into something that feels fresh and progressive. But unfortunately Kay doesn't have anything new to say, as his views on society, technology, and relationships are trapped in a bygone era.