Anglo-American troubadour James Riley crafts music that seamlessly blends joyously anthemic songcraft with poetic storytelling, delivered with an assured and candid folk voice. James Riley has spent the past couple years playing to audiences at Glastonbury, The Great Escape, and Wilderness and Towersey Festival with his trio, James Patrick Gavin on fiddle, and Tim Fairhall on upright bass.
After a 2-year writing and recording odyssey in Nashville, James returned to London to release his debut album “Transatlantica” in March 2020. With the worst timing, the ensuing lockdown wiped an entire summer of touring from the calendar. Undeterred, he garnered national media attention by hosting full-band rooftop concerts live-streamed from his house in Tottenham, North London. A product of the live series was the creation of the critically-acclaimed folk-grime fusion project ‘Rooftop Assembly’.
James will spend the early part of 2024 on a writing retreat in the US, ahead of the release of his sophomore album – slated for the spring of 2025.
‘Awesome… like the Allman Brothers meets the Seeger Sessions’ Laura Marling / ‘Incredible’ Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1
‘One of my highlights of the year’ Verity Sharp, BBC Radio 3
‘Gosh he’s got talent doesn’t he?’ Janice Long, BBC Radio Wales
‘It hooked us on first listen- from the harmonies to the guitar work there’s nothing to not like’ Folk Radio UK
Mike Nisbet, a seasoned Scottish artist, has navigated a remarkable 16-year musical journey. Hailing from Scotland’s West coast, his evolution spans a pop-punk past to a much-respected singer-songwriter present. Influenced by Tom Waits, Randy Newman, and Nick Cave, Nisbet crafts dark, modern narratives on guitar and piano.
Nisbet’s fourth album ‘Get Dead’ showcases his mastery as a multi-instrumentalist and storyteller. Themes of mortality run through the album, with each track offering introspective journeys guided by emotive storytelling. Scotland On Sunday hails him as Scotland’s most exciting new talent, while Music News praises his folk, blues, and Americana-infused stories.
Source: The Harrison website