Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx :: NY is Killing Me
It seems like it would be trite to say “RIP GSH”, considering that before 2010, I’d only known him as the man who coined the phrase “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, and only knew that from a Nike commercial.
The Jamie xx mix of this song is one of my favorite songs so far this year; it conveys actual urban dread, which makes at least a little bit of sense after reading The Fader’s Feature on Jamie, he seems a bit of a thoughtful introvert. I’ve only listened to We’re New Here a couple of times - you can still stream it at Spin - but I think calling it a remix album and leaving it at that sells it a bit short. Yes, the songs are remixes, but remix albums are typically messy, poor affairs. This contextualizes Gil Scott-Heron’s words respectfully and has a cohesion uncommon to similar endeavors. In short, it actually makes me want to delve into his back catalog.
