Following the release of his emotive 6-track Kindred Spirits EP, electronic producer Jai Wolf has embarked on a 24-stop North American tour. With support from artists including Jerry Folk and Ramzoid, the month-long tour which started in Canada is snaking across the US, including sold-out shows in Seattle, Santa Ana and Atlanta. I was able to catch him last week in San Diego.

The Observatory is an historic converted theater in the heart of North Park -- an area known for trendy coffee shops, novelty dive bars and craft breweries galore. While the bill seemed better suited for the Downtown club scene, hordes of college-aged students (and me) flocked to the theater on Monday night to dance to some future bass and poppy electro. 

Internet favorite Jerry Folk provided the introduction. Poised at the far left of the theater, Folk was set up behind a black-cloaked table like a DJ at a school dance. His introduction was reminiscent of it as well. He enticed the crowd by dropping disconnected bits of Ginuwine's "Pony," between truncated sections of "To My Soul" and Flume's "Wall Fuck." I was underwhelmed with the energy and production of the performance; there was no cohesion and for all I knew, I could have been watching anyone.

Halfway through, Folk slowed down and unleashed his signature sound. Dropping the bpms along with intensity, the enthusiastic crowd danced through his remix of Oh Wonder's "Lose It," "Stanley," and "I'm Honestly Not a Gangster." What started as an unremarkable performance turned into an enjoyable, community groove.

After a proper warm-up and much anticipation, Jai Wolf took center stage inside a large circular metal structure. He stood silhouetted, as if preparing to launch the theater attendees into a cosmically melodic set alongside floating bodies bobbing on the screen behind him. 

The 24-year-old artist earned the interest and ears of international listeners with his euphoric debut "Indian Summer," released through Odesza's Foreign Family Collective last year. It has since garnered over 12 million streams on Soundcloud alone and had provided fans the first taste of Jai Wolf's original music leading up to Kindred Spirits.

The set structure was smooth and seamless, combining new releases like "Drive" with previous remixes of Odesza's ubiquitous "Say My Name," Kiiara's "Feels," and the Skrillex-approved "Ease My Mind." His new work leans toward glistening, feel-good electro-pop with guest vocals and bright, bursting synthwork. The music was markedly more refined, maintaining a blissful electronic sound while introducing new elements.

As expected, Jai Wolf ended the show with "Indian Summer" to a flurry of cheers, confetti, and flailing bodies. The triumphant close seemed the only appropriate way to celebrate a new beginning in his musical journey.

Catch Jai Wolf and Jerry Folk on the tail end of their tour, and support Kindred Spirits here. 

Image: Joey Taylor for Listen SD