James Faith is a UK singer/songwriter who split his time between the southwest beaches of Penzance (a town in London) and the south bank of London. His latest album is Maybe a mistake. Faith names some of his biggest influences as Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Portishead’s Beth Gibbons and you can definitely sense some of their intimate vocal styles here. I also thought he sounded a lot like Bon Iver and Glen Hansard as well, since like these artists, I can definitely sense a whole lot of emotionality coming from the lyrics and vocals. Here, Faith at first gives listeners a seamless flow of music and then hits us with exploding acoustic. It is this quiet-loud dynamic that really speaks to me and I think he utilizes it well to flesh out a sound that is filled with both mood and feeling.
Maybe a mistake opens up with “In Semaphore,” where some soft yet melodious guitars come in. Once Faith’s vocals arrive, the music becomes more and more haunting. I liked this simple and sparse approach. Later on in the track, the acoustic guitars become more driven. The quiet-loud dynamic made for a great sound. Some upbeat fingerpicking on the acoustic guitar comes through for a revved sound on “Procrastination.” It had a smoldering appeal that I thought sounded great. There was an old-timey vibe to “Consolation” that reminded me of minstrel music back in medieval times. It had a soft and soothing sound that also sounded a lot like a lullaby. The vocals on “The Master” had a meandering approach. It had a somber and melancholy vibe. The vocals also sounded rather monotone which offered a change of pace from the other tracks. More soft renderings come from the acoustic guitar on “Safer Now.” The artist definitely packs tons of powerful emotions here. Half-way into this track, the song picks up for a more upbeat vibe. This proved to be a moving closer. I definitely recommend Maybe a mistake for people who are looking for some ambient music to buffer their mood. Faith makes the sort of music that I think would be a great fit for a coffee shop vibe and open mic night. It just fit that whole singer/songwriter spectrum really well. With that being said, if you’re looking for something great to relax to, this should be the perfect escape to unwind or just to feel better after a long day.
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