Singer-songwriter James Smith announces details of his new album, Golden Age - out May 22 via Bad Music - and shares the latest track from the record, 'My Angels'.
Across ten tracks, the album captures an artist stepping fully into his own skin — marking the first record he has entirely self-produced and mixed. Written over a single month, it explores what it means to be young and in love with no financial means: messy, full of mistakes, but hopeful. Themes of loss and faith run throughout, from the reflective intimacy of newly released ‘My Angels’ to the anthemic swell of the title track.
For Smith, the title carries a double meaning: these years as his own ‘golden’ age, and an ode to the classic musical era that inspired the record’s warm, soulful sound. After a decade in the making, James Smith is just getting started.
Listen to ‘My Angels’ on Forever Blowing Bubbles.
On the album, James says, “This album is a project I’ve been keen on making for a very long time. It’s the first record that I’ve self produced and mixed, which felt huge given the expansiveness of the music. Recorded at Konk Studios, I wanted to create a classic sounding record that felt expensive – and although it may be a little ‘genre-bending’, the musicianship in the album is clear.
“The album was written over a month’s period and is essentially an exploration of what it’s like to be young and in love with no financial means. It’s messy and full of mistakes, but hopeful. Themes of loss and faith are also explored in the album. The album cover is a picture taken of my great aunt and uncle when they were my age and I felt that this was always a very special photograph which I wanted to share.
The song ‘My Angels’ is dedicated to my grandad – who loved this photo of his siblings, so he would be very happy to see it as an album cover. The title has a double meaning, it stands for my current age and how these years should feel like my ‘golden’ years. But also it is an ode to the classic kind of music style that I’m trying to make – the ‘golden age’ of music, which is also reflected in the artwork.”
@jamessmithvocal ‘My Angels’ comes out next Friday. One of my favourites from the new album. #newmusic #fypppppppppppppp #myangels #grief #piano ♬ original sound – jamessmithvocal
James Smith is riding a wave of momentum. His latest singles have received strong support with ‘Golden Age’ and ‘Silver Spoon In My Cup’ both championed on air on BBC, and ‘For You My Love’ getting Spotify New Music Friday playlisting across multiple countries. His Spotify listenership has climbed back to over 1.3 million monthly listeners, while ‘Dancing With You (Baby)’ has surpassed eight million streams on Spotify alone.
James will celebrate the release of Golden Age with an in-store vinyl signing at Rough Trade Denmark St on May 23. The night will feature intimate ‘stripped back’ performances of tracks from the album, plus the opportunity for fans to pick up signed vinyl, exclusive merch, and celebrate alongside James.
