James Bright’s journey as a producer began in 1999 alongside Afterlife’s Steve Miller as one half of the downbeat duo LUX.
Photo credit: James Bright – Official
Their debut track, ‘Northern Lights’, opened Café Del Mar Volume 7, establishing itself as a chill-out classic and setting the stage for Bright’s decades-long exploration of ambient, atmospheric music. Since then, his solo work has continued to reflect a deep fascination with texture, space, and sonic storytelling.
His latest album, ‘Imaginal’, represents a shift in direction—an invitation into near-beatless soundscapes created with modular synths, rich in mood and movement. The record navigates moments of reflection and color, blending hypnotic melodies with natural ambience in a way that feels both intimate and expansive.
In this conversation, James Bright opens up about the creation of ‘Imaginal’, his evolving creative process, and the importance of stillness in a fast-moving industry.
EG: Hi, James! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now?
James Bright: Hi, thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here. I’m good, thank you. Today I’m back in my home studio working on some new material.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the drop of your new studio album, ‘Imaginal’! You must be excited to have this one out. What has the initial reception been like so far? What does this album mean to you on a personal level?
James Bright: Thank you, it’s great to have the album finally out there and to see that it’s been getting such a good reception. This album has seen me change the direction of my music a little and although I had faith in it, it’s nice to have positive feedback. I loved writing this album, learning new techniques with new equipment has been a very inspiring and exciting way to work.
EG: Now, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Imaginal’ as a whole? Is there a concept or emotional trigger running through the album?
James Bright: I’d love listeners to take the time to switch off from the world around them. Pause, breathe, and let the music take them on a journey to drift beyond the everyday. I think with a lot of ambient music these days there is a tendency for artists to stick to drones, long drawn-out sounds. I do think this has its place. I always liken it to hypnosis—the drones are there to relax and distract the conscious mind, allowing the subconscious to open up. With this album, I like to think that the conscious mind is distracted, but the sounds also lead the subconscious to places where it might not usually go, if that makes sense?
EG: And what was the creative process for these sessions like? Did you have a clear horizon in mind when you got started? For how long has ‘Imaginal’ been in the works?
James Bright: I’ve wanted to make some almost beatless, ambient music for a while, and last year I decided to invest in some modular synthesizers. I spent most of the year learning the basics, although I’m only really scratching the surface. This time gave me the chance to experiment, creating new sounds. The beauty of using a modular system is that there are no preset sounds, as with virtual instruments. Every sound is developed from scratch. I found this process so inspiring that it sounds quite quickly became songs.
“The biggest challenge I think the music industry faces is finding authentic artists who write from the heart”
EG: What did you learn from the recording of ‘Imaginal’? What’s your personal take from the experience?
James Bright: I think I learned to take the time to switch off and be in the moment when creating. Not to have a rigid idea of what I need to write. To almost meditate, trust the process, and let the music just come to me rather than chasing it. I think with any art form, when we try too hard to achieve a vision, it can take the joy away from the creative process, which will always come across in the finished piece.
EG: What would be the perfect setting to listen to ‘Imaginal’? What would you like for listeners to take away or experience?
James Bright: I think any setting is suitable as long as it’s quiet, although I would definitely recommend listening on a good system or with good headphones to get the most out of the music. I would just like the listener to enjoy listening to the music as much as I enjoyed making it.
EG: Stepping outside of the studio for a bit… what drives James Bright aside from music? What inspires you these days?
James Bright: I enjoy the quiet life these days. I’m married and have a young daughter, so family life is very important to me. I love to get out walking in nature—I find that very inspiring—as well as reading. I also love to cook, and when not in the studio, you’ll often find me in the kitchen.
EG: Now, what do you see as the biggest challenge for the music industry in the next few years, and how do you think artists can adapt?
James Bright: There’s a tendency here to say AI but personally I’m not too concerned about it. I think that people using AI to write music will generally be looking to the mainstream market. Hopefully, that might drive true music fans back to the underground scenes where creativity is alive and well. I also think that some artists will use AI to push creative boundaries rather than as a tool to copy generic sounds. The biggest challenge I think the music industry faces is finding authentic artists who write from the heart. Streaming platforms have made everything very algorithm-driven, which is more and more pigeonholing creators, narrowing boundaries, and leading to trend chasing.
“I’d love listeners to take the time to switch off from the world around them”
EG: Looking forward, what can we expect from James Bright in the coming months? Where can your fans catch you next?
James Bright: I’m in the studio, writing every day and will have some new tracks finished very soon. I’m also collaborating on some new material with Japanese artist Yumi Iwaki, which I’m really excited about.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, James! We wish you all the best for the future. Take care!
James Bright: My pleasure, and thank you for the support. I’m looking forward to sharing some new material with you very soon.
James Bright’s ‘Imaginal’ is out now on Life On Earth Recordings. Stream and download here.
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