Far Nearer / Beat For

"Far Nearer" / "Beat For"
Single by Jamie xx
Released6 June 2011
Recorded2011
Genre
Length12:35
Label
Songwriter(s)Jamie Smith
Producer(s)Jamie xx
Jamie xx singles chronology
"I'll Take Care of U"
(2011) 		"Far Nearer" / "Beat For"
(2011) 		"Take Care"
(2012)

"Far Nearer" / "Beat For" is the debut solo single of English producer Jamie xx, who rose to fame as being a member of the indie pop band the xx. The double A-side single was released on 6 June 2011[1][2] through Numbers, part XL Recordings.

Composition

The single features two songs, "Far Nearer", a downtempo song with steel pan drums and Caribbean rhythms and tones, and "Beat For", a post-dubstep song with pitch shifted, distorted vocals and a heavy bassline.

Reception

The single received positive reception upon release. Larry Fitzmaurice of Pitchfork Media named the track "Far Nearer" as "Best New Track" for the week of 6 June 2011.[3] Reviewing the single, Fitzmaurice said:

While the downcast bleeps of "Beat For" sound similar to the moody, melodic strain of vocal-abstracted bass music that's become so prevalent over the last year, "Far Nearer" is another thing entirely-- a bright, steel-drum laden burst of euphoria that sounds better suited for beach umbrellas than dark clubs, melodically recalling the Tough Alliance at their bounciest. Crisp drum tracks ping-pong across "Far Nearer"'s wide span, clapping and retreating around the song's dramatic, pitch-fucked vocal sample: "I feel better when I have you near me". After all that waiting, "Far Nearer" is finally something you can keep close; forget "better," it feels great.[3]

— Larry Fitzmaurice for Pitchfork Media

The single reached a peak of No. 128 on the UK Singles Chart.[4]

Track listing

All songs written and produced by Jamie Smith.

No.TitleLength
1."Far Nearer"6:50
2."Beat For"5:45
Total length:12:35

Chart positions

Chart (2011) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[4] 128

References

  1. ^ "Numbers. Jamie xx - Far Nearer (Limited vinyl & download out on Numbers". Nmbrs.net).
  2. ^ "Far Nearer - Single by Jamie xx". 6 June 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2022 – via Apple Music.
  3. ^ a b "Jamie xx: "Far Nearer" | Tracks | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
  4. ^ a b "Chart Log UK" (TXT). Zobbel.de. Retrieved 2 April 2022.