Automaton

Released in 2017 after a seven-year hiatus, Automaton represents Jamiroquai's most significant embrace of electronic music and synth-pop. Moving away from the more organic, rock-leaning textures of 2010's Rock Dust Light Star, Jay Kay and keyboardist/co-producer Matt Johnson leaned heavily into 1980s-inspired synthesizers and digital production. The album's central theme explores the dehumanizing effects of technology, a concept reflected in the 'robotic' vocal processing and the LED-lit 'Automaton' hat worn by Kay during the era. Despite the futuristic veneer, tracks like 'Cloud 9' and 'Summer Girl' maintain the band's lineage in disco and acid jazz. The album was a commercial success across Europe, proving the band's enduring relevance in a landscape dominated by EDM and modern R&B. It stands as a late-career highlight that successfully modernized their sound without sacrificing their rhythmic identity.