Jamie XX played a live score for Doug Aitken’s “Lightscape” at the Shed in New York, and the result was a night where sound and image became one thing. The installation just finished its run at the Shed’s Darla Moore Gallery, but the venue kept the show alive for one more night, turning it into an invite-only gala on Thursday. Aitken’s seven-screen, film-based piece ran 65 minutes, and Jamie XX’s music moved underneath it, building a wall of sound that matched the pictures on screen.
The Installation
“Lightscape” is not a passive movie. It is a gallery installation that fills a space with seven screens. The show follows multiple characters as they travel across America, from deserts and remote mountains to factories and highways. Natasha Lyonne, Beck, and members of the Los Angeles Dance Project appear throughout, though the characters rarely speak to one another even when they share the same frame.
Aitken described the installation as a reflection of isolation and disconnection in modern society. The images carry a vague resemblance to Wim Wenders’ work, but the people on screen remain separate from one another. That distance between characters becomes the whole point, according to Aitken.
Jamie XX’s Score
Jamie XX’s solo work leans on melody more than many of his peers do. His music for “Lightscape” was different from his 2024 album “In Waves.” Instead of songs, he built an atmospheric score that sat beneath the images rather than carrying them forward. The hallmarks of his sound were still there: unusual juxtapositions of voices and beats, and sound manipulation that the audience could watch in real time.
The setup let listeners sit close to the console where Jamie worked, watching as he created the sounds right in front of them. The performance felt less like a concert and more like a shared experience.
The Unexpected Ending
The show ended with a 1983 dance song by Welsh synth-pop outfit Freur, called “Doot Doot.” It was a low-key hit with new-wave DJs during that era, and it featured two future members of Underworld. The choice was surprising, and it made the ending memorable.
It was also a reminder that Jamie XX’s range runs wide. He can build dense, atmospheric textures for a gallery installation, but he can also end a 65-minute show with a 1983 dance record. The contrast made the ending stick.
Other Performances
Not every night of “Lightscape” featured Jamie XX. During the summer, the installation hosted live improvisations from the Los Angeles Master Chorale and William Basinski. Those performances were separate from Jamie’s work, and they added to the show’s run of live moments.
Jamie told Variety that he and Aitken had been working together on the project for months. The music he prepared for this performance had been recorded, though he was unsure whether it would be released. That uncertainty hangs over the whole enterprise — the performance exists now, but its recorded form remains unconfirmed.
What This Suggests
The performance suggests that Jamie XX has considerable potential as a film composer. His ability to build an atmosphere that matches the picture on screen is rare, and the fact that he did it live, with the audience watching him work, made the experience more intimate than a standard soundtrack would be.
The show also showed how adaptable his sound is. He moved away from the song-based approach of “In Waves” without losing what makes his music distinctive — the layering of voices and beats, the careful shaping of sound. The audience got to see that process unfold in real time, which made the performance feel less like a finished product and more like a living experiment.
Why It Matters
Thursday night at the Shed was a reminder that live music still matters. Aitken’s installation would have held its own without Jamie XX’s score, but the live element turned it into something greater than the sum of its parts. The images were fixed, but the sound changed with each note Jamie played.
The ending with “Doot Doot” was a surprise. It brought the show full circle, from a reflection on isolation to a moment of unexpected music. It was unexpected, and it stuck.
The performance also pointed to a larger trend in music. Electronic artists are increasingly working outside the club, scoring installations and galleries alongside their records. Jamie XX’s work here shows that he can hold his own in that world, and it suggests that his future might include more film projects.
Whether the recorded version of the score ever sees the light of day is unknown. But the performance itself stands as a proof of concept — a successful pairing of sound and image that left the audience with a lasting impression.
Here is a ranked look at the elements that made the performance work:
- The live score itself — Jamie XX’s music moving underneath Aitken’s images.
- The audience’s proximity to the console, watching the sounds being created in real time.
- The use of “Doot Doot” as an ending, surprising the crowd.
- The improvisations from the Los Angeles Master Chorale and William Basinski, which added to the show’s live moments.
- The recorded score’s uncertain fate, leaving the performance as the definitive version.
Source material: “Jamie XX Plays Live Accompaniment to Doug Aitken’s ‘Lightscape’ Show at the Shed in New York,” Variety.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.