James Righton - The Performer

From Atlantis to…Cocktail Hour? James Righton’s latest incarnation may be a million airmiles away from the neon glow of Klaxons, but it’s a look that suits him well - a reflection on the rightly-bizarre nature of playing pop star one moment and fathering a family the next. Patrons of the Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino will be pleased by the retro lounge influences of ‘The Performer’ - ‘Edie’, named for his daughter, is a 70s stomper with collar firmly popped, while ‘Lessons In Dreamland’ (Parts 1 and 2) waft around as if sporting an elegant kaftan, martini dripping carelessly from the hand onto a shag pile of guitars. The life of the party however, is ‘Devil Is Loose’, whose dreamy wiggery owes more than a little to the stylings of Tame Impala. A potent mix of influences, it manages to sound equally focused and effortless - the work of a true performer.