Careful Now by James Murray

Words from Ian Hawgood:

In 2017 and 2018 James Murray released 'Killing Ghosts' and 'Falling Backwards' on Home Normal to critical acclaim. Between then and now we've come to absorb some remarkable collaborations between James and Stijn Hüwels as Silent Vigils, with Ian Hawgood as Slow Reels, alongside 2020's 'Suññatā' with Mike Lazarev, and 'Remote Redux' with Francis M. Gri. 'Careful Now' however, is James Murray's first solo release since 2019 and marks a very welcome return indeed for one of our favourite ever artists and sound designers.

James' music is always personal; always from the heart. It is this that marks his work out from the majority of today's electronic-ambient scene and why he stands out as such a highly respected artist amongst his peers. His compositions always feature a carefully constructed and original sound palette, filled with unique melodic elements throughout, no matter whether tending in nature towards darkness or light.

'Careful Now' is a radiant, soft-focused work of wide-eyed romanticism and childlike innocence. Deep rumbling bass elements burst open like flood gates into huge synth drone driven melodies and textures fizzing and skittering over the surface of all the depth that continues to resonate below. It is an album of heartfelt humanity and purity of spirit that can indeed 'draw light' into our very being as the final track attests.

I've greatly missed James Murray's solo output over the past three years and I’m so happy we get to release this astonishing collection of life-affirming ambient music at last. Welcome back James.

Thank you

__________

Selected Press:

"I am absolutely blown away by Careful Now" - Headphone Commute

https://headphonecommute.com/2022/09/12/james-murray-careful-now/

"The perfect balance between the two greatest musical achievements, in my eyes, of the artist: The Sea in the Sky and Killing Ghosts, joining the granular synthesis and the vastness of the first to the tearful melodies and the intimacy of the second."
- Tartine de Contrebasse

https://tartinedecontrebasse.com/2022/09/28/james-murray-careful-now-de-lambivalence/

"The emotions are up to the listener to decide: everything is in the ear of the beholder. Not many artists can do that like James Murray can." - Ambientblog

https://www.ambientblog.net/blog/2022-09/murray-corderokihara-msp/

London-based composer of minimal textured music. Curator of Slowcraft. Half of Silent Vigils and Slow Reels.

jamesmurray.info
slowcraft.info
slowreels.com