A True Gem

The Journey Man is a true gem for fans of drum ’n’ bass music, featuring memorable songs that exhibit Goldie’s versatility as an artist. The LP begins with that drum ’n’ bass sound for which Goldie has become known, but the latter parts of the album take on a more soulful, R&B quality — before Goldie brings it all back to the drum ’n’ bass vibe in the end.

The album is quite lengthy, with most songs hovering around five to six minutes long and one sitting at a whopping 19 minutes. Yet this length doesn’t take away from the quality of the entire project. “Redemption,” the 19-minute song, does not even feel repetitive at all, sounding as if multiple songs were inserted into one track. Sometimes, with longer albums, one may find the tracks to feel a bit redundant. However, this is not the case with The Journey Man, as each song carries its own nuanced sound.

Throughout the album, Goldie changes up his approach as to maintain a fresh sound. This is exemplified on songs such as “The Ballad Celeste” and “This Is Not a Lovesong,” which completely abandon drum ’n’ bass and go for an exclusively R&B/soul feel. This is where the album truly shines, as Goldie is allowed the freedom to create a more dynamic experience for listeners. The soulful essence can clearly be heard in the vocals, which operate beautifully alongside the drum ’n’ bass instrumentals. This unique combination showcases Goldie’s versatility as a musician, something on full display throughout the course of the album.

One song that perhaps is not the greatest highlight of Goldie’s new project is “Prism.” The second track on The Journey Man does not really do much to contribute to the fluidity of the rest of the album. It sounds way too chopped-up, more like a copy-and-paste job rather than a smooth, cohesive sound. Fortunately, this is the outlier, which perhaps causes it to really stand out against the rest of the project.

Overall, The Journey Man is a lot of fun to listen to and definitely offers a versatile sound that could attract a wider audience. Goldie demonstrates his versatility and musicianship by utilizing soulful elements, alongside a strong, drum ’n’ bass feel. In the end, The Journey Man is definitely worth a listen.