TOP 100 ALBUMS EVAR: #97
Jamiroquai: Travelling Without Moving (1996) <Sony Soho Square/Work>
Genre: Acid Jazz, Funk
Nationality: UK (London, England)
I vividly remember the music video to Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity.” This was at a time when I was first starting to watch MTV, and it coincidentally happened during one of the channel’s final peaks. Surely enough, after months of watching this video along with countless others, I wanted some of the albums for myself. This makes Travelling Without Moving among the first CDs I ever owned. I’m not sure of the significance behind this purchase (or if there even is one), but I do know this: Travelling Without Moving has indeed stood the test of time and remains as Jamiroquai’s most accessible, most cohesive work. The mega hits “Virtual Insanity” and “Cosmic Girl” pulse with the combination of Stevie Wonder soul and Parliament worthy space funk, and this pretty much continues over the entirety of the album. Others groove with jungle rhythms (“Use The Force”), driving bass lines (“Travelling Without Moving”), and some even twirl and flutter through ethereal cosmic atmospheres (“Do You Know Where You’re Coming From”). With a previous history of mainly classic rock and punk, Jamiroquai helped introduce me to funk, R&B, and electronica. It was quite the introduction. Key Tracks: “Virtual Insanity,” “Cosmic Girl,” “High Times,” “Do You Know Where You’re Coming From” For Fans Of: Stevie Wonder, Parliament, Earth Wind & Fire
