Nashville-based Jeffrey James is kicking off the new year with the announcement of a new EP titled East London. Today, James has unveiled the first single from the project, “Downtown.”
The East London EP was birthed during a month-long songwriting trip to London in early 2019. James worked with legendary UK producers such as Geoff Swan (Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay), Jackson Dimiglio-Wood (Shawn Mendes), Dan Weller (SikTh), and Dan McDougal (Liam Gallagher), creating a uniquely cross-Atlantic record that draws on James’ Nashville influences, combining them with the blue-eyed soul sounds that have been dominating the UK charts.
“Downtown,” the first single from the forthcoming EP, is a reflective pop ballad that explores the peaks and valleys of a relationship, specifically the outside influences that sometimes create chaos in an otherwise stable union. Full to the brim with passion, James’ rich, deep vocals carry the track across a minimalist piano-led melody.
Indiana-born, Tennessee-based Jeffrey James developed a love of melodies from his great-uncle who wrote the book on how to play guitar – Hal Leonard Guitar Method Books. Over the past few years, James’ soul-infused alt-pop sound has been paving the way for Nashville’s pop scene, leading to opening slots for acts such as X-Ambassadors, Rachel Platten and Hanson, as well as festival performances at Firefly, Bonnaroo, and Forecastle. Alongside his own captivating releases – his Billboard-approved single “Saltwater,” his 2016 album Walls and his 2014 debut I’m Wide Awake – James has proved himself a versatile songwriter, collaborating with an array of acts like Megan Davies, Tungeaag & Raaban and LU2VYK.