Pop-electro artist, James Night, recently released a 14-track album titled, “Weatherman” that features mostly fast-paced electronic songs with mesmerising lyrics and big synths. From 2017, James has been releasing music that is based on his life experiences and they are relatable and inspiring. On this album, James has shown his versatility as a producer, writer and all round musician by creating fourteen engaging tracks, each of which have a different flavour. Let’s dive in!
Album Tracklist
Head In The Clouds
The “Weatherman” album begins with a moderately paced house track reminiscent of club mixed from the 2000s. James’ vocals are melodious; autotuned significantly and are drowned in reverb; apt for a track like this. I liked the arrangement of Head In The Clouds a lot! It features hypersaw synths, beats that will keep you going and a massive buildup towards the end with an energetic drop.
Replay
Track number two begins really mellow with some natural ambience sounds before James’ vocals kick in along with a squashed drum beat. With similar processing as the previous track, except for some slight distortion on the vocals, Replay sounds very Britney Spears-esque because of the chords used in the verse and the melody of the vocals. The track is driven mostly by a subby synth bass. James’ sings about the urge he has to have his memories replayed to him from the age of 17 – “those long dark nights was talking in my sleep..”.
Rosé
Next up on the album, we have a dark and energetic track called Rosē. A simple yet infectious beat combines with rich synths to form a kind of gloomy club vibe. The drop melody is really catchy, surely won’t leave your head anytime soon! With rising snares to mix in the transitions together and an electric guitar that is introduced in the final drop, James’ has gone for a slightly different sound on this track.
Stay
It seems James is drawn by this drum beat in most songs. He has used it in a lot of songs already, and because of the instrumentation in Stay, it sort of seems that it’s a continuation of Rosé. This track is less cluttered than the rest of the lot and the vocals sound absolutely amazing. Melancholic vocals are blended with a lot of harmonies and processed vocoder-like layers.
Weatherman
Title track, Weatherman starts with James’ vocals over a muddy drum beat initially. With lush sustained synths and a gliding bass, this track has a different color as compared to the rest of the album. Additionally, Weatherman is a feel-good track with a really fun vibe; would play well at a beach party! Also, worth a mention, the final drop of the track kinda comes out of nowhere; no heavy buildup or anything like that, but it feels right and that’s all that matters, I think!
I’m Not Gonna Lie
James’ surely loves using a lot of autotune, it’s almost a definitive characteristic of his songs on this album. I’m Not Gonna Lie comprises of trap fused with pop/EDM beats, an acoustic guitar and rich synth strings. “Purple colour of sky, like the dress that you wear..”. – as the title suggests, he sings about how he’s approaching a special someone in his own way and the story that follows.
Natalia
With a sound very exotic and different from the instrumentation of the album till now, track number seven begins with a Mandolin processed with a lot of exciting reverb. Back with his favourite beat progression, James, on Natalia has sung with a lot of emotion. I absolutely loved the chorus hook where he sings “Natalia” in the most fun way ever! Some parts of the song are reminiscent of Lady Gaga’s older pop releases; James seems to be influenced by pop divas quite a bit.
No Way
“Cause love is just one game to play, I wish I could but there’s no way..” – James’ talent as a songwriter is clearly evident on this track. No Way comprises of a mix of modern beats over a 2000s pop music chord progression that might remind you of Enrique Iglesias’ songs. Additionally, the track features a cheerful vocal chop melody that fits well with the other instruments and the amazing lyrics.
Unknown
Track number nine, Unknown has a kind of darkness to it that would fit the vibe of a dark, neon-lighted club. It has the potential to get anyone on their feet easily owing to its bouncy beats and catchy melodies. The track also features James’ uniquely processed vocals and bright drum samples that cut right through everything in the mix.
Law Of Attraction
I really liked how the track begun with the sound of someone closing a car door and then heading to a party. Can’t really tell, but either James’ vocals are processed brilliantly or there is someone else singing altogether on Law Of Attraction. There’s a distinct change in the mood here as compared to the other tracks of “Weatherman”, almost as if it doesn’t fit in the album. Maybe it’s the B side of “Weatherman”, who knows?
Bonnie & Clyde
James is back with his autotune drowned vocals, that now, I think the listeners have probably gotten used to after hearing so many electronic elements in his songs. The short 2:34 minute-long track features loud beats, reverb-drenched vocals and an exhilarating buildup.
Skeleton Nights
With conversational lyrics sung over a dynamic electronic synth-filled arrangement, James’ has tried to do something very out of the ordinary on Skeleton Nights. Unlike anything we’ve heard until now on “Weatherman”, Skeleton Nights has bit of a haunting, hypnotic vibe that comes from the instruments and their processing.
When I’m Gone
At first glance, you might think this is the first acoustic song of the album. Track number 13 begins with James’ mellow vocals over a beautiful piano melody. After introducing strings and some harmonies, When I’m Gone becomes much fuller by the first chorus. Additionally, the track keeps surprising the listener with a bunch of new instruments like natural drums and an acoustic guitar; a very soft and mellow tone. Loved the saxophone towards the end!
Moonlight
The final track of “Weatherman” begins with a melody that straightaway reminded me of “Troublemaker” by Olly Murs, but with bit of a disco twist. Surprisingly. the chorus of Moonlight has a very Latino vibe to it. James’ introduces trumpets, funky guitars and a bunch of interesting fillers that allow the sections to flow into one another seamlessly. The first track of the album to feature a melodic solo; groovy yet nostalgic.
Summary
“Weatherman” is James Night’s debut album which was released on October 1st. 2021. Known for making synth-heavy electronic pop music with heavy beats, James on this album has also shown his adaptability as a musician. Despite the tracks being well composed and structured, I felt that there were a few songs that would sound better if some things were tweaked in the mix. It seems like James’ likes having a lot of fun with his instruments and creates whatever comes to mind without adhering to the boundaries of any genre, and that’s what makes his music special! Hope he has more great music in store for his fans in the future!
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