The Ends, Never Ends is the second Joe James album in three years that has floored me. 2024’s BEAST LIVING outlined his painted, melancholy flows with a mix of jazz, drill, and house fusion. This latest release leans almost completely into jazz-hop, which allows for James to engross himself fully within the messy confines of his psyche. That is thanks to the consistently excellent production of remy jones who is credited on 10 of 14 tracks.
What’s most fascinating about jones’ catalog, and what separates it from any other I’ve listened to, is just how many shots he’s put up with different artists in a limited time. He has only been producing since 2023, but is credited on over 200 songs, many of which are one offs with individual vocalists. Now, that means that more than half of the music is easily skippable, but I believe that’s why when it works it’s as potent as it is. The best music jones has made nearly all falls into the same sonic ethos as what he would eventually peak with James on—jazz-hop fused with underlying melancholy soul.
The majority of the 80 great songs in his catalog are still aligned with his one off single producing mentality. What’s fascinating is how well he crafts compositions, in what has become his signature style, behind vocalists who range from the most ethereal soul singer to the most guttural rapper. Working with one seems to continually bleed into the next, which is why when he gets to this almost full album with James, what makes the album feel fluid is it’s soulful spine.
jones produced significantly on three other albums pre 2026. The first two, both from 2025, I Always Transform Into Myself by T. Walker and The Art Of by Eli White, are winding psyche exploring works of rap, which use soulful jazz and boom bap expertly. They are really solid proving grounds for what would eventually be the Joe James solidifying high point.
However, Rose Thornberry’s 2026 album Unraveled, half of which is produced by jones, would be the solidifying work of his career thus far that would help him reach his potential. The production he provided for it feels like being swallowed up by a melancholy yet serene wave of tears. The thing about R&B music is to make it successfully the pockets have to hit distinctly or else it falls apart. Here, jones proved he could weave within them without losing his balance on the tightrope.
Naturally, The Ends, Never Ends followed. Next, I’d love to hear what a full remy jones jazz R&B project sounds like. I’m sure the work with James would elevate it even further.
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