Young and ambitious, JackLNDN has a wizard-like ability to transform a room. The native Londoner has been playing sets and creating music at a breakneck pace that even his more experienced peers cannot keep up with. While Indiana-based rapper, Freddie Gibbs, performed through a cloud of smoke at Empire’s outdoor stage, JackLNDN invited an understated yet dedicated crowd to his set on the indoor stage.
Local opening DJ, Ben///Jester, deftly set the mood for the crowd with samples and remixes of tracks by Bob Moses, Parcels and Bonobo. The youthful DJ orchestrated a dance party with assiduous attention to detail and endeared the crowd to his upbeat vibe by curating a gentle ebb and flow of danceable tracks.
While the DJ openers made sure to limber up the Austin crowd, it was JackLNDN who would prove to be the tipping point in making Saturday a memorable night. While JackLNDN’s bedrock is firmly rooted in house music, he switches the lenses of which his music flows from pop to jazz to progressive. Sliding through hits like “All I See”, “The Feels” and “Never Get Enough” – he kept his audience on his hook with an incessant barrage of grooved-out chord progressions.
Playing late into Saturday night, JackLNDN showcased an incredible voice and a sharp skillset of playing keys while simultaneously mixing his own music. An entertaining light show with intricate visuals only added to the lounge atmosphere that continued a slow burn of sexuality throughout the night. While many in the audience were in constant movement for over 3 hours straight, the mollifying effect of the music unburdened the crowd for a cathartic release.
-Lee Ackerley