James Horsman is a York-based singer songwriter who has somehow evaded my radar until now. That’s all changed thanks to his dual releases, Gravity and Place Where We Belong.

By Graeme Smith

Like many York artists, James has been getting his music put to record thanks to local legends Young Thugs Recording Studio. It’s something he’s started to do only recently, and these two singles represent his first two releases, so I guess I’ll forgive myself slightly for overlooking him until now.

Gravity and Place Where We Belong are in the singer songwriter tradition, but gives us something a little different too. The former is a track filled with drama and emotion, beautifully brought to life by James’s soulful vocals. Ostensibly it’s a love song, and the storytelling of it sets it apart from contemporaries.

Place Where We Belong shows us a different side of his sound, stripping things back to best showcase its introspective, poetic lyrics. A memorable melody will stick in your head while a soaring chorus will have you feeling along.

I’m so glad we can now count James as one of the many talented artists representing our often overlooked city. I’m excited to hear what he releases next. I hope you will be too. Gravity and Place Where We Belong are out now, available on Spotify.