Introducing Emi James

Over the last 18-month or so I have really enjoyed listening to, and following the progress of the band L-space. I admire their creativity, work-rate and having met them a couple of times - I like them as people too! Always a bonus!

Gordon Johnstone is the guitarist and co-leader of the band along with singer Lily Higham. The duo are adventurous with their sound, art and ambition and seem to constantly be creating.

So much so that Gordon has his own side project under the guise of Emi James and he has just released the Social Capital EP.

The EP contains 4 beautiful pieces of music Gordon has composed that are playful, inventive, lush and dreamy. Check it out below - turn off your mind, relax and float downstream.

I thought I would catch up with him and he lets slip about another cool project he has on the go with Lily. Expect to hear more about that in the future!

Thanks to Gordon for his time, he is a fantastic talent to check out and I look forward to hearing much more from him in the future.

Music seems to be pouring out of L Space. How did your Emi James stuff evolve? What else is on the go?
We like to be prolific! Emi James started because I started writing some neoclassical music, sort of like the end of Float Through Wires on Kipple Arcadia, that didn't really suit the direction the band was going in. I was quite chuffed with it and didn't want it to go to waste, so I thought I'd put it out myself.

The Social Capital EP came out in July and I'm planning another release quite soon; a symphony tentatively called Unmitigated Disaster Strikes Suburbia.

Lily and I are also starting a new electropop project called Post Coal Prom Queen. We have quite a bit of music written and we're planning a trip to film some music videos soon. Basically, we write a ton of music and LNFG (who L-Space are signed to) can't release it all, and the other members of L-Space don't always want to release as much as we do, so we're finding new outlets.

We have some mad ideas for PCPQ - I'm really excited for it to be out there! L-space are working on our next album, due in April 2020, and we're collaborating with a Japanese label for some really cool plans as well, which will hopefully come to fruition soon.

'Lily is absolutely gifted with melodies, 
I've learned so much from her'
Gordon Johnstone

Where do you get the time?!
In terms of time, I don't dwell over music. I think music and songs should capture a particular moment and feeling. I'm not one of those people who'll agonise over a handful of songs for years on end. Usually I'll write something in an evening, revisit it the next day, then declare it finished. That helps to keep things moving. The Emi James songs were all written in one sitting.

What inspires you to write?
For the most part, it's sounds. When I find a new sound I like I'll usually start writing straight away with that in mind. Sometimes it doesn't make the final cut, sometimes it's the central focus of the song; I'm never sure how it's going to end up until I realise there's nothing I want to change.

I've also started writing with specific concepts in mind: going for particular feelings or places. That's much harder! I also love knowing that I'm leaving a small artifact on the Earth that will outlive me; that inspires a lot of what I do.

Do you ever get writers block?
Constantly. I can sit at my piano for days on end it's like I have never seen the damn thing before, like it has been dropped there from another dimension and I have no idea how to work it, and then one day it just clicks like a TV suddenly going from static to broadcast.

During the static periods I tend to be quite prolific. Writers block is a horrible feeling - there's always that notion that I've written my last song and I've run out of ideas. Maybe it's the stress and anxiety from that panic that spurs my brain into behaving itself again.

What music are you enjoying at present?
I'm really loving a lot of Japanese electronic music like Charisma.com, Wednesday Campanella and Macaroom. The intonation of the vocals, besides not being in English, is fascinating and makes the music sound so different to Western bands.

I'm also really put off by shite lyrics, so not understanding what's going on is a bonus! I'm also enjoying rediscovering M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us is a phenomenal album. Philip Glass's Glassworks has been on a lot too, as have Aurora - who is incredible and 65daysofstatic. I also listen to a lot of hip hop:MF DOOM and Run The Jewels are constant fixtures in my house. E1-P's production has always been a huge inspiration to me. The recent Super Inuit EP is also glorious.

What are your future plans under the guise of Emi James?
That's tough to know. I have a symphony planned out that I'll probably release in a few months. Beyond that, I really have no idea. It'll probably be  sporadic as things ramp up with L-space and PCPQ, but having an outlet for my neoclassical tendencies is wonderful. You can expect some sonic aspects of Emi James creeping into both other bands as well. I also have a very loose plan to try and perform some of the tracks live, but that will involve a lot of people.

And lastly, what are your future plans with L-space?
We are nearing the completion of our next album - coming out in April 2020 on vinyl via Last Night From Glasgow. It's a far more immediate in-your-face album than Kipple Arcadia, but it's still undeniably us. I'm incredibly proud of it.

We're also working with a Japanese label on a joint release with one of their artists which we're hugely excited about. We'll be playing shows all over the place as much as we can, especially outwith the central belt and planning the launch shows for April. It's all coming together, slowly but surely. And not even that slowly.

How Many Glasgow

Yesterday I bought the album How Many Glasgow by Jad Fair, Tenniscoats and Norman Blake on Japanese import and I have been enjoying a lovely Sunday evening lying in bed listening to it with headphones on, watching the sun go down on a lovely sunny April weekend in Glasgow.

So how did the album come about?

In 2012 Jad and Norman were invited by Daniel Johnston to play at one of his exhibitions in Madrid. The duo subsequently went to Japan to tour with Tenniscoats (Saya and Ueno Takashi) and after two shows in Tokyo they booked a recording session; How Many Glasgow is the result of that session with most of the tracks recorded in 2 or 3 takes over the course of 2-days.

I'm real pleased with how it came out. It has a friendly and natural feel to it - Jad Fair

Mostly improvised, you hear the songs in the order they were recorded. Jad is an inspiration and a huge talent....Tenniscoats are one of my favourite groups. They are original and fearless and it was a privilege to work with them - Norman Blake

Jad's description is spot on. The album has a very warm feeling to it - 4 friends coming together to create and record an album virtually on the spot.

The artists combine well - the music is relatively simple; largely finger picked guitar with some keyboards, organ and a little percussion. Jad's contribution is improvised spoken word with Tenniscoats making up backing vocal melodies on the spot.

Jad's lyrics are all about love and hope, his voice is very easy and at times very soothing to listen to. Tenniscoats sound utterly gorgeous.

There are some sublime moments; Yes, We Can is an early highlight while Reading Bubbles with the Japanese vocals and melody is absolutely stunning. Jad's mellow and calm spoken word section combines beautifully with those of Tenniscoats. Then it is the turn of Norman to sing with Tenniscoats on the beautiful Raindrops (track 4).

This Is A Time is probably my favourite song on the album; it has a lovely feel to it and all 3 artists are at their best - Norman playing some mellow guitar, Tenniscoats  playing some subtle keyboards and singing backing vocals while Jad is at his romantic best.

A brand new day has begun

A brand new spring has now been sprung

And into this life we have been flung

Let's make the most of it

Horray for us

Doowee Do (track 11) has Norman singing in Japanese and harmonising with Tenniscoats and The Door Will Open is a fragile beauty.

The way the album was recorded is captured beautifully at the start of I Have A Plan with Jad and Tenniscoats laughing as they begin - the song is another highlight.

The closing Yo Yo Yo! is clear evidence that this is an improvised album, this is just a fun jam, sounding like it was recorded in one take - but who cares when you have songs like those mentioned above.

Norman and Jad play Mono in Glasgow on Monday 18th May. Tickets HERE

BMX Bandits In Space

BMX Bandits release their latest album 'BMX Bandits In Space' tomorrow (29th October) on Elefant Records. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy and I've had a week with the album, so lets check out what Duglas T Stewart and his band of Bandits have been up to...

Before I go any further I have to say that this is a gorgeous record, following on from the remarkable 'My Chain' and 'Bee Stings' that were released in quick succession back in 2006 and 2007.

'BMX Bandits in Space' tells the story of a man travelling through time and space in search of forgiveness and a way back home. Throughout the trip there are small flashes – some are memories and some are figments of his imagination.

The album opens with 'In Space', and it is quite trippy for the Bandits. There are lush strings and Stewart's voice is layered with effects as he sings about '..drifting in space for so long, endlessly singing the same song...'

For anyone new to the Bandits, Stewart is a romantic who wears his heart on his sleeve and he sounds head over heels on this record.

Where there's love, there is hope

Where there's hope, there is you

It's time to start to live

'Still' bubbles into life with a lovely piano riff, gentle acoustic guitar and Duglas singing with real emotion (as he does throughout). The song is a collaboration with Plectrum from Japan and on the evidence of this tune they should get together more often. The gorgeous outro is hypnotic and you can easily get lost (in space) to it.

'Beautiful Friend' picks up the pace before 'Look At You, Look At Me' continues the dreamy feeling that a lot of the songs (and the brilliant production) bring to the album. The song is another collaboration, this time with Cineplexx from Argentina, it also sees Rachel Allison singing for the first time on the album.

'Like The Morning Sun' is one of my favourites from the album, Allison takes on lead vocals for this one and it sounds like she enjoyed singing the beautiful and clever melody.

The album really starts to come into its own with the brilliant 'Listen To Some Music' with Duglas name-checking some of his favourite songs and artists, wearing his musical influences on his sleeve along with his heart.

God only knows what I'd be without you, Brian and Tony know how I feel

They helped me figure out what I was thinking, in the song they made it real

And if you ever need a friend

Just play that song once again

It is one on which you can depend

For those that have followed Duglas and the Bandits, and especially those that have seen Jim Burns 'Serious Drugs' documentary, this is a song that really sums up Duglas - music is his life and it has seen him through some tough times. The song is playful, melodic and meaningful.

'Elegant Love' is the second collaboration with Cineplexx. A duet with Rachel, it has a great feel to it with an uplifting chorus.

'And It's You' hit me instantly, it is totally gorgeous and incredibly catchy.

And if I live to 103

You're still gonna be

A big part of me

The chorus is pop perfection.

And it's you

And it's me

It's a complicated story like the best ones can be

Bandits songs have that instant appeal but they also have an incredible amount of depth, especially when Stewart is on top form and he is on form on this album; lyrically and in voice. The Bandits he has assembled are also on their game and the production is sublime.

'You Disappointed Me' has Rachel singing of a lost love that led her on, she fell for him, believed in him but was ultimately rejected and hurt. The melody is almost nursery like at times.

'Fucked Up This Time' takes the album to a darker place after the head over heels love songs like 'And It's You'. It has a great groove to it and although Stewart's vocals continue to be hushed and considered, there is clear hurt, regret and perhaps a bit of menace in his performance here.

'Fireworks' is a pretty special song for me as it was written by my wee sister! That's right, my wee sister has a song on an album by a band I have been following for a couple of decades. It is rather surreal and Duglas has been exceptionally supportive of Carla and her band TeenCanteen.

The melody flows easily, the lyrics are funny and moving and it is just lovely to hear the care that the Bandits have put into the recording and performance.

'All Around The World' tells of the search for hope and how there has to be something out there.

I believe in beauty, I believe in it and where ever it leads me, that’s where I’ll go

You must believe in something, cause if there's really nothing, then there is no hope

'And While We're Dancing' is a slow waltz style song, Stewart's vocal is especially considerate for this number, beautifully fragile, combining in stunning fashion with Rachel.

Now close your eyes and maybe you'll see

An older you dancing with an old me

Our friends and family will all smile to see

Us dancing our waltz of love

'The Unforgiven' has another stunning vocal performance from Duglas, only accompanied by piano at the start. This has to be a career highlight for the BMX Bandits, if they can swear in one of their song titles then I am going to say that this is fucking brilliant, the closing half of the song flows superbly and the backing vocals are beautiful. Listen to this on headphones. I can't wait to see and hear this performed live.

'In Space (End Theme)' has some lush strings to end the trip.

In the aforementioned documentary 'Serious Drugs' there are a couple of mentions about how BMX Bandits are perceived - perhaps not taking things too seriously (or being taken seriously), Alan McGee even mentioning that some people think (or thought) they are (were) a joke band.

I hope these people listen to BMX Bandits In Space (as well as the previous two albums) as they will discover an artist who pours his heart and soul into his work. Love and hope are out there, you just have to look hard enough, it can be tough at times, but keep at it. It is all worth it in the end.

Duglas T Stewart is in the best form of his career, reaching new heights and creating some wonderful, wonderful moments.

Check the album out, there are some signed copied in Monorail in Glasgow and there are only 500 vinyl copies (pictured above).