Mr. Jamie’s cataloge 1 is the kind of debut EP that feels like someone broke into alternative rock’s house, rummaged through all its drawers, stole whatever sounded cool, and then somehow made it all work. In case you wonder though, “catalogue 1” is only a placeholder title because Mr. Jaime’s still in the kitchen trying to whip up a name that actually fits this EP. He’s technically been around since mid-2024; his first single “Juliet” made a modest splash, but this EP is the real introduction, the moment where he says, “Hi, yes, I contain multitudes, sorry in advance.” And honestly? It’s impressive how confidently he swerves between sounds. Some artists spend years figuring out their “thing.” Mr. Jamie’s thing is apparently refusing to have just one.
The opener, “Echosmith,” is where he immediately tells you the ride will be weird. It’s an indie-funk… thing. A strange little creature of a track. Imagine The Flaming Lips trying to make a Mr. Bungle song but with the impulsive sincerity of someone who didn’t know better than to try. It’s funky, slightly deranged in a charming way, and packed with choices that feel like they shouldn’t work but somehow do. It’s the audio equivalent of looking directly into a lava lamp for too long: confusing, mesmerizing, a little psychedelic, and surprisingly warm.
Then we smash-cut into “The Audition,” which is far more “approachable indie rock boy” and less “experimental gremlin energy.” It’s upbeat, clean, catchy; the kind of track that could easily sneak onto a playlist between artists who definitely wear bucket hats and sing about growing up in suburbs they secretly liked. People have compared it to a Kid Cudi B-side if Cudi got into guitars, and that’s hilariously accurate. It’s melodic, confident, and proof that Mr. Jamie can rein in the chaos when he feels like it.
“Life’s Long Lesson” keeps that alt-rock-with-a-dash-of-hip-hop vibe going, but this time it goes full Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’. It’s moody, introspective, and coated in a warm late-night glow. The drum patterns are hypnotic, the guitar work is soft but expressive, and Jamie himself sounds like someone who has Thought About Things™. It’s contemplative without turning into a Pinterest quote. And it adds emotional gravity right where the EP needs it after the fun and before the finale.
And then we hit “Juliet,” the debut single, the spark that started all this. It is, without shame, a track that worships at the altar of The Strokes. The vocals are mixed like Julian Casablancas if he had decided to enunciate again, the guitar tones are straight out of the Comedown Machine / New Abnormal era, and the whole thing has that “cool indie band you pretend you discovered alone” energy. The best part? It doesn’t feel derivative. It feels like Mr. Jamie understood what made those records good and said, “Yeah, I’ll have some of that,” but filtered through a genuinely earnest songwriting voice.
Taken together, cataloge 1 plays like an artist holding up four different business cards and saying, “One of these will be my brand eventually. Until then, enjoy the buffet.” And shockingly, the variety doesn’t feel incoherent. It feels like watching someone try on genres the way other people try on outfits; except most people don’t accidentally look good in all of them.
There’s a scrappy charm across cataloge 1 , but there’s also intent. You can tell Mr. Jamie isn’t flinging ideas at the wall; he’s very deliberately building a musical identity out of pieces that shouldn’t fit together, and somehow does. cataloge 1 isn’t a polished corporate debut engineered in a lab to maximize streams; it’s a weird little gem of enthusiasm and experimentation.
If this is the foundation he’s starting from, the future should be fun; chaotic, probably, but fun. Mr. Jamie is already carving out a lane, even if he’s still painting the signs and swerving a bit. And honestly? That’s part of the appeal.
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About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for various publications around the world, the former lead writer of review blogspace Atop The Treehouse and content creator for Manila Bulletin.
