Episode 34 - James Alexander Bright

Songwriting For Songwriters

With emotive soul, woozy synths, warm harmonies, lo-fi electronics, and softly strummed guitars, British multi-hyphenate artist James Alexander Bright dreams of open spaces, warm surroundings, and a place to find comfort and peace both inside and out. Based in the Hampshire countryside and 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.

His debut album ‘Headroom’ was released in April 2020 by !K7. During a busy 2020, James also 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 Dutch producer/drummer 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 included support by Gilles Peterson who included it in his tracks of the year. His second album for !K7, the joyous ‘Float’, was released in July 2022 with singles ‘Drink This Water’, ‘Wheels Keep Turning’ and ‘Sundown’ feat Fink paving the way.

On radio his tracks have been played across BBC 6 Music (where he’s recorded guest mixes for Tom Ravenscroft and Huey Morgan), Amazing Radio, Bandcamp Weekly, Worldwide FM, Soho Radio, KCRW, Triple J and BBC Solent (who chose his track ‘Tigers Roar’ to soundtrack Portsmouth FC’s2019 journey to Wembley – awkwardly James is a Saints fan).

Released in April 2023, cosmic Americana-disco DJ/producer duo Flying Mojito Bros handpicked tracks from James’ !K7 catalog for an album of collaborations and reworks. A full length Bright & Findlay album is due for release this summer on Athens Of The North.

Collected press:

“Blissful choruses, sweetly nagging refrains and a lo-fi sensibility.

Hard not to love” MOJO

“Intoxicating, highly evocative, sun-dappled soul” Uncut

“Pastoral 21st century electronic psychedelia that knows all the best

clubs in town” Electronic Sound

“Brilliantly laidback…an ever evolving journey that feels at once fun

and adventurous but also familiar and comfortable” Future Music

“It’s a lush, rich slice of soul that will permeate every pore. It’s the

sound of the summer” Louder Than War

“Bringing influence and experience together in a wild, kaleidoscopic

world of precarious elevations and cathedral emotions” BPM

“Vivid intermingling of buoyant breakbeat drum loops, sunkissed

psychedelic folk song, retrofuturist synthesisers and hot buttered

British soul” Test Pressing

“All the musical styles I love. I’m a big fan” Tom Findlay, Groove

Armada

“One exceptional album” Bill Brewster

“A timeless record” The Bees’ Aaron Fletcher

“Moves stylishly through psychedelic patterns and multicoloured

textures” Jack Wyllie from Portico Quartet

Website: https://jamesalexanderbright.com/about/