Single Slam: Closer To by Elson

Leeds’ based singer/songwriter James Elson is set to release his third single via a new Leeds’ label, becoming the first English-based act to be distributed via the PYST service, based in Cardiff. The single will be the third release for Odd Job Music, a new venture for the promotions company that’s been putting on gigs in Leeds since 2016.

Elson’s second single marks the latest exciting signpost on a long and winding road of musical discovery for James, appropriately for someone who grew up on Merseyside after being born down south. Formative years in Liverpool were where the musical heritage and passion of the people left an indelible mark on the young Elson. Living in the city heavily influenced his outlook on art and music and it continues to do so to this day.

The next stage of his journey took him east across the Pennines to Leeds to study music, attracted by the chance to sample another city with a vibrant cultural life and once his studies were complete, James stayed on to develop his musical career.

He’s well known to audiences in the city and beyond as one half of ENGINE, a band that started out as a psychedelic rock outfit but eventually morphed into an electronic production duo.

It was the release of a well received EP, Cucumber Water, that brought ENGINE to the attention of Leeds’ promoters Odd Job and they were so impressed they moved quickly to get the band onto the line-up of one their gigs. The relationship was maintained, plans to work together were knocked about and it was Odd Job who subsequently gave Elson his first solo gig in November, a support slot in a sellout event featuring another act hailing from Merseyside, The Tea Street Band. The next step was to collaborate on the release of some of the songs James has been working on as a side project over the last few years.

As promoters, Odd Job have strong connections with Wales, having brought a number of Welsh language bands over to play in Leeds and these contacts have helped secure a distribution deal with Cardiff-based PYST. PYST have established a great track record in helping acts from Wales get their music out to a global audience, Elson will be the first English based act to benefit from their assistance.

James draws his influences from artists such as Wand, Sparklehorse, George Harrison, Gene Clark, Big Star and Harry Nilsson, so from Nilsson we get Elson.

Closer To is available now.

Subtle at first, James Elson’s new single has an indie rock kind of sound and vibe. However it is smartly layered with electronica and with plenty more ‘oomph’ as it goes on. The catchy beat led by the guitar, spacey flashes that crop up and mellow clean vocals keeps the first handful of minutes ticking along nicely.

Elson does have a few more tricks up his sleeve though as the guitar rhythm begins to build and you can imagine bodies beginning to move in time with it. The tempo gets faster and faster, more and more frantic leading to a noisy finish that is very chaotic. This is the section that most will fall in love with and is easily the most exciting part of a track with many, many layers.

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