James Gillespie - “Hold Me Down”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 8

Pairs Well With…James Bay, Lewis Capaldi, Hozier

Powerfully voiced singer-songwriter James Gillespie adds a nice layer of atmospherics to his soft pop/rock sound, turning little ballads in full-bodied epics on his debut album Safe. That sense of bigness comes in James Gillespie’s emotive songwriting and performance, delivering with a pained, raw vocal that is still thick with melodic pop prettiness. For his first set of tracks, Gillespie has chosen consistency over exploration, really digging into building ambience and tender indie folk forms, gently scattering ghosts electronically haunting his lonely, crying sound. By adding ambitiousness to what is a normally a minimal space, Gillespie keeps his music interesting especially in little diversions like the R&B groove of “What You Do” and in some hip-hop-infused melodies on highlight “ICFTI”. The UK artist is already posting studio shots from album number two this month, so expect some new tracks to feature alongside his riveting debut during his SXSW swing. (Kevin McStravick)