Let’s talk about Jai Paul. If you’re not from the UK and haven’t been following electronic music since 2010, there’s a very small chance you’ve heard this name before. You’re not to blame, though, as the British singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist/sound engineer only has two official releases under his name. I personally came across today’s track when watching a random TV show around this time last year and was simply blown away when I heard ‘BTSTU’ for the first time.
‘BTSTU’ was posted on Jai Paul’s MySpace back in 2007 before receiving widespread blog coverage throughout 2010, and BBC’s Zane Lowe even made the track his Hottest Record in the World, twice. It then got re-released on XL Recordings as ‘BTSTU (Edit)’ in April 2011, and it’s safe to say that the genius behind the song was way ahead of his time. Paul’s mesmerizing production is unmatched, as he flawlessly combines acoustic elements with minimal electronic influence. Check it out below.
Insane, right? ‘BTSTU’ is a work of art that sounds like it inspired today’s legendary artists such as Flume, Stephen, and more. With electronic elements reminiscent of Flume & Chet Faker’s ‘Drop The Game’, it’s quite possible that this tune shaped future bass into what it has become today. The track went on to be sampled by Drake in ‘Dreams Money Can Buy’, and rapper XV freestyled over the track in ‘BITSTU’. Both of those songs might have gotten more widespread attention than the original, with many of the listeners probably remaining unaware of Jai Paul’s masterpiece.
The talented artist followed up his debut single with another single titled ‘Jasmine (Demo)’ in early 2012, before disappearing off the face of the Earth and never releasing another song under his name again. Choosing to remain out of the spotlight, Jai Paul’s approach to the music industry is highly unconventional. Despite some believing that an album leak in 2013 would lead to Paul releasing more new music, his musical silence has not been broken.
In March of 2016, Jai Paul founded the Paul Institute along with his brother, A. K. Paul. The project serves as a platform for putting out music that the brothers support, with both of them occasionally given production credits. It’s interesting to speculate whether we’ll ever hear another Jai Paul original ever again, and if this original will be released on the Paul Institute Label. Here’s to hoping.
