James Leon - Zen (To The Power)

Stream James' Zen EP here (soundcloud)

The way we buy and interact with music has changed so much over the past twenty years - and continues to evolve on a daily basis (what the heck is Tidal?) And while this means there are always new ways to hear the songs we grow to love, what hasn't changed is that there are a whole community of talented singer-songwriters whose music deserves to be on your radar. These are people who are in love with their craft and build the lyrics and melody until they feel it is just right. James Leon is one such artist. His new EP "Zen" features two of his finest tracks to date (I Love The Music - review here; Purple Heart - review here) and re-invents them with thrilling new remixes (by Club Clique and Pollarik respectively). If you are new to James' music, then this is an excellent way to explore some of his back catalogue - and a testament to his songwriting abilities that the songs sound just as exhilarating in their new formats as when I first heard them. Both will have you on your feet, grabbing the one you love (or the nearest attractive person) and shimmying. HARD.

It's the opening and closing moments of the EP that showcases James' most recent explorations into pop. A brand new track, Zen (To The Power), opens the EP in it's original format and then closes it with an electrifying remix. The original is set to a shimmering, sophisticated synth-pop backdrop - the type that sparkles brightly alongside the lyrics and vocals. James sings of not allowing the negative influences in your life to overwhelm you, but to find your inner purpose and stick to being the best you that you can be. "All these stupid fools around me/some days I feel they drown me" is sung with a resonant alacrity that recalls the halcyon days of Erasure, George Michael and Human League. You may think these influences are a bit disparate, yet James skilfully weaves them into his music without ever making the listener feel like he is copying them. Rather he pays respect to the synth artists who forged the way and continues to hone his own sound with that pulsing beat and swirling keyboards. It's a chorus refrain that you'll be singing for days, thanks to it's clever hook - and if you want to take it to intoxicating new dance levels then the SRJ Electro-Funk remix that closes the EP is for you. It amps up the energy, makes the beats that bit darker and sets a giddy pace that is all too hard to resist. Another intriguing insight into the world of James Leon - I'm ready for album two now, please...

Top 25 songs of the week:

25 ~ Mans Zelmerlow, Should've Gone Home
24 ~ Maroon 5, Feelings
23 ~ Will Young, What The World Needs Now (NE)
22 ~ Nate Ruess, A Great Big Storm
21 ~ Walk The Moon, Work This Body
20 ~ Shayne Ward, Moving Target
19 ~ Mika, Staring At The Sun
18 ~ Max ft Jake Miller, Ms Anonymous
17 ~ Janet Jackson, Burn It Up
16 ~ Little Mix, Love Me Like You
15 ~ MKTO, Afraid Of The Dark
14 ~ Brandon Flowers, Still Want You
13 ~ Olly Murs, Kiss Me
12 ~ Aurora, Half A Word Away
11 ~ Take That, Hey Boy
10 ~ Sara Bareilles, She Used To Be Mine
09 ~ Ben Haenow, Second Hand Heart
08 ~ Big Black Delta ft Debbie Gibson, RCVR
07 ~ Kim Wilde, Keeping The Dream Alive
06 ~ Jukebox The Ghost, The Great Unknown
05 ~ Auryn, Electric
04 ~ One Direction, Infinity
03 ~ Fleur East, Sax
02 ~ Harriet, Love Will Burn
01 ~ Kylie Minogue & James Corden, Only You (1 week)