The perfect title for a well-grounded but uninhibited collection of creatively free songs. Erik Louis James celebrates the freedom of honest expression and musicianship, with the distinct but aptly diverse album Eclecticism.
Eight original tracks make up Eclecticism, some spanning longer than eight minutes. It’s a unique album, from an artist self-described as the most mystical man in the land.
We begin with a dreamy shoegaze set-up, a notable use of keys and hi-hats at the forefront. The voice is distant, quietly mixed, reverb-soaked and nearly whispered, the melody simply rising and falling as we roll towards a powerfully energised electronic instrumental section. Suddenly the album’s title makes its purpose known, and mellow uncertainty evolves into sheer passion and volume. However, even for this bold crescendo, there’s still a kind of smoothness and humility to the vocal sound – something held close to throughout the album.
Fields is gentler still, we rise and fall once more, the guitar sound and voice familiar, the lyrics distant and softly poetic amidst this ethereal composition. Later on, brief moments of acoustic guitar-play indicate an organic musician at the helm, and intrigue in terms of the live show potential from Erik Louis James.
Arrangement matters, especially within an album called Eclecticism. Bongard’s (Take You There) notes a clear understanding of that, lifting the tempo and energy for a more hopeful bounce of a track that’s still conceptually mysterious. Later on Erik indulges in a colourful bout of synth-play, retro gamer tones highlighting another side to the production reach, and the vocal gathering passionate momentum alongside. A personal favourite for its recognisable groove and the longer-form melody.
Synths continue to guide us, for the disco-kissed flavours and later soul-rock swagger of Tell Me Now, before we get a welcomed shift in dynamic, for the solo-piano opening of a brief and rather beautiful Worlds Between.
After this, Can’t Go On feels like an ode to melancholy grunge, a gentle expression of desperation that flows through like waves of sadness, gathering intensity throughout an extensive lifespan and a boldly theatrical performance and production. Still the approach is modest, non-confronting – almost hidden. The ideas and design are fearless, but the connection is filtered somewhat, through these effects and this inherent sense of mystique that is the Erik Louis James sound.
Impressive acoustic fingerpicking lights up a more dreamy and calming space for Storm Song, another big finish to anticipate as the post-seven-minute track rolls along. Then we get the distorted synths and space-like tones of an unexpectedly atmospheric Control, to bring things to a mighty and confronting finish.
This final track is rhythmically catchy, the vocals are too, and once again, we stumble upon one of the album’s most addictive and unmistakable songs. A rather cinematic celebration, soaked in uncertainty and darkness, leaving its mark indefinitely as the strings and synths close things out.
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