James Alexander Bright - Float (!K7)

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What We Say

Yacht rock gets a dreamy blue eyed soulful synth pop update as James Alexander Bright hits the Balearic, summer soundtracking sweetspot in this smooth grooving, open shirted, espadrille clad, sunglass sporting poolside pleaser for !K7.

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What The Release NOtes Say

British multi-hyphenate artist James Alexander Bright is set to release ‘Float’, his second album for !K7 Records, on 1st July 2022. With emotive soul, woozy synths, warm harmonies, lo-fi electronics, and softly strummed guitars permeating throughout the ten tracks; ‘Float’ dreams of open spaces, warm surroundings, and a place to find comfort and peace both inside and out. 

An illustrator by day, James’ creative duality lends a visual aspect to his music. He often approaches the creation of a new song from a strong image, much like soundtracking a movie inside his head. In turn nostalgic, fantastical, idealistic and meditative; ‘Float’ brings the fertile imagination of James Alexander Bright streaming into the real world. 

‘Float’ was mostly written, performed, recorded and produced by James at home in the Hampshire countryside over the past year, starting with the entirely solo 'Drink This Water' - a psychedelic lo-fi beach campfire paean to H2O. James explains "Water is everything: humans are moving vessels of water. My mind drifted off to an imaginary island in the sun with the thought of lapping tides and the heat on my skin." The evocative 'Wheels Keep Turning' captures the spirit of 70’s soul. "I feel like the track came out of nowhere, a bit like a dream" says James. "It's something of an ode to listening to the magic of the radio from the backseat of the car going on holiday as a child". 

Worthy of its own introduction - by the interlude ‘Grow’ - the album’s title track and midpoint ‘Float’ explodes in an ecstatic, synthesised wash of sound. “I wrote this song on a hot, late spring afternoon. I pictured myself laying in the long grass as the flowers swayed. It’s my interpretation of the feeling of floating weightless.” 

A pastorally-charged, polyrhythmic pick-me-up with flecks of ambient-Americana, 'Sundown' features an instantly memorable vocal hook from singer-songwriter Fink. James says: "Fink added a beautifully executed chorus hook and some lush Ry Cooder/Tommy Guerrero-esque guitar swells. I love collaboration with other people and it was a dream to work with an artist I’ve always respected." 

Although starting life with the intention to be an entirely solo production, ‘Float’ grew in personnel over its creation as connections in the real world did also. As well as Fink’s ‘Sundown’ feature, Dutch musician Feiertag contributed drums on a number of tracks, Kerry Leatham aka Roseau lent her vocal support to ‘Wheels Keep Turning’, and Pete Lyons took on mixing. A host of friends brought in a team effort to finish the extended length closer ‘Be Strong’, with additional vocals by Kerry and Leo Wyatt aka KINDER, drum parts by Gillan McLaughlin and synth bass by James’ manager Benjamin Smith. 

‘Float’ comes two years after the release of James’ debut album. ‘Headroom’ was described in MOJO as “Blissful choruses, sweetly nagging refrains and a lo-fi sensibility. Hard not to love”. Uncut remarked on “Intoxicating, highly evocative, sun-dappled soul”, Electronic Sound Magazine flattered with “Pastoral 21st century electronic psychedelia that knows all the best clubs in town” and Louder Than War called it “Exceptional and exhilarating”. Feedback from musicians and DJs included praise from Groove Armada’s Tom Findlay (“All the musical styles I love. I’m a big fan”), Bill Brewster (“One exceptional album”), The Bees’ Aaron Fletcher (“A timeless record”) and Jack Wyllie from Portico Quartet (“Moves stylishly through psychedelic patterns and multi-coloured textures”). 

During a busy 2020, James featured on three tracks, as well as designing the artwork, on Groove Armada’s recent album ‘Edge Of The Horizon’, contributed exclusive track ‘Under The Sun’ to the Too Slow To Disco: The Sunset Manifesto compilation (alongside Kraak & Smaak, Yuksek, Poolside) and released collaborative single ‘It’s Alright’ with Feiertag. A new side project, with Groove Armada's Tom Findlay as Bright & Findlay, saw the 'Slow Dance' EP released on Athens of the North in September '21, which Gilles Peterson included in his tracks of the year. 

James’ music has been played across BBC 6 Music (where he's recorded guest mixes for Tom Ravenscroft and Huey Morgan), Amazing Radio, Bandcamp Weekly, FIP, KCRW, Soho Radio, Triple J, and Worldwide FM. BBC Solent have been local supporters and chose his track ‘Tigers Roar’ to soundtrack Portsmouth FC’s 2019 journey to Wembley; awkwardly James is a Saints fan.

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If You Like James Alexander Bright You Might Like The Slow Balearic Playlist

You can stream the Slow Balearic playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Youtube & Soundcloud