Review

By Emma Eva Foote | 14/06/2026

Five years on his LP Mirrors, Armand Jakobsson returns with If This Is It, a record that feels both like a natural progression and a deliberate departure. Featuring collaborations with TS Graye, ARY, Dan Whitlam, SG Lewis and Confidence Man, the 12-track collection sees the producer continuing to expand beyond the lo-fi house sound that first brought him widespread acclaim. At its heart, the album is concerned with acceptance. Themes of moving on, embracing the present and making peace with uncertainty run throughout. As Jakobsson himself explains: “Through writing it, I’ve tried to turn long-held anxieties into acceptance, and I hope listeners can take their own meaning from it.” That sentiment becomes the emotional thread that ties together a record that blends lo-fi house, UK Garage and flashes of noughties trance into something both reflective and euphoric. The opening stretch immediately establishes the album's atmosphere. ‘You Can’t Come Home’, featuring TS Graye, pairs soft yet distant vocals with shimmering electronic textures, capturing the lingering ache of a relationship that one person has yet to fully let go of. There is a sense of emotional detachment woven into the track, evoking those solitary moments on a crowded dancefloor when the music becomes a refuge from your own thoughts. Then ‘Quakin’’ leans into hypnotic repetition, building a quietly uplifting energy that demonstrates Jakobsson's ability to create movement without sacrificing emotional depth. Throughout the album, nostalgia and longing are ever-present companions. Whether soundtracking a sun-soaked summer afternoon with friends or a rain-drenched train journey home, these songs seem capable of drawing out the same bittersweet emotions. One of the album's most immediate highlights arrives in the form of ‘The Right’, featuring Confidence Man. Bright, buoyant and full of forward momentum, it feels like the soundtrack to finding closure and rediscovering yourself after a difficult chapter. It also highlights Jakobsson's willingness to step outside the expectations attached to his earlier work, embracing a more expansive and accessible sound. ‘If This Is It’, featuring Dan Whitlam, showcases another side of the record. Whitlam's conversational vocal delivery glides over piano-led melodies and understated electronic production, creating an intimacy that feels both personal and relatable. Meanwhile, ‘Of Joy’ with ARY balances vulnerability and melancholy with moments of genuine warmth, recalling some of the emotional honesty that defined Jakobsson's previous releases. It's a bold evolution from an artist who has never been content standing still. As he prepares for a busy summer of performances across Ibiza, Paris and Miami, this latest release feels like a statement of intent: reflective without becoming trapped in nostalgia, and confident enough to explore new territory without losing sight of the emotional core that made listeners connect with his music in the first place.