Jacob Collier, a 26 year-old English musician, is the least likely artist to appear in this year’s Grammy Album of the Year lineup.
His Djesse Vol. 3 is the third installment in a planned four-volume collection, with each album representing a different part of the day. Volumes one and two were jazz fusion albums, while this one traffics more in R&B and funk sounds.
This is one of those projects that sounds cool on paper but turns out to be aggressively boring once executed. Skimming through the album, I hear a lot of ambient noise interrupted by a long list of collaborators serving up lazy vocals.
Give me Fiona Apple’s album for proof that you can be artsy and still have fun. This one is dead on arrival.
You’re fast asleep I’m
I’m counting sheep
I’m in too deep
I’m in too deep
[Verse 1: Jacob Collier]
You been making me feel like I’m lonely, baby
I don’t know what I did wrong
I don’t know what
Lately I been driving myself crazy, baby (Oh, oh)
Girl you left me all alone, you know that
[Chorus: Jacob Collier]
Did I forget to feel?
Everything is falling down
Baby, this old world is nothing without you
I don’t know what I can do
I thought it was real
But girl you got me crashing down
Baby, I still love you, Lord, I know it’s true
I don’t know what I am to you
Now I’m all alone
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 2: Kiana Ledé, Jacob Collier]
Something in me hopes that you still love me, baby (Oh yeah)
But I know you been moving on, I know that (Hey)
Thinking like I been feeling this without you, baby (Oh babe)
I miss you more than I let on, you know that
[Chorus: Kiana Ledé]
When our love was new
I remember holding you
Hoping everything you needed I could do
That I could do it all for you
I wish that it was true
But boy you left me here too long
Thinking I still love you, Lord I know I do
But I’m never coming back to you
Now I’m on my own
[Outro: Jacob Collier & Kiana Ledé]
Now I’m on my own
On my own
Now I’m all alone
Counting sheep
I’m in too deep
You’re mine to keep
You’re fast asleep
I’m counting sheep
I’m in too deep
You’re mine to keep
You’re fast asleep
Now I’m all alone
Counting sheep
I’m in too deep
You’re mine to keep
You’re fast asleep
I’m counting sheep
I’m in too deep
You’re mine to keep
You’re fast asleep
Now I’m on my own
Counting sheep
I’m in too deep
You’re mine to keep
You’re fast asleep
Now I’m on my own
I’m counting sheep
I’m in too deep
You’re mine to keep
You’re fast asleep
I’m counting sheep
I’m in too deep
You’re mine to keep
You’re fast asleep, I’m
Meet Me In Montauk 
I suppose there is an audience for this, at least among critics and Academy voters, but I suspect ten years from now, and perhaps even two years from now, the vast majority of the listening public will be wondering who this person is and why he garnered a nomination.
I first heard about Jacob Collier at the UM precollege music program I attended a couple years back. This one very talented musician was obsessed with him and thought he was the best artist there was. I’ve followed Collier on Instagram and seen his incredible acapella arrangements and instrumental dexterity. However, I’ve never found that his immense talents translates well to his songs with few exceptions. When I first heard this album I was pretty underwhelmed. When I saw it got the Grammy nom, I was surprised to say the least. I’m happy an artist of his talent is getting recognition, but this would never be the body of work I’d give it too.