You’d be hard pushed to find too many similarities between Paris and Todmorden. The former is an internationally-renowned capital city, defined by its high culture, architecture, chic fashion and gastronomic magnificence. Tod, on the other hand, is a wild renegade of a northern English town, known for its counterculture, anarchic spirit, pagan blood and psychic happenings.
Sharing your time across the two locales might seem like an odd lifestyle choice, but for James Douglas Clarke, aka C Douglas, former singer and guitarist in Burnley indie-rock five-piece The Goa Express, it seems a perfect combination.
James: “I moved to Paris a couple of years ago. It was a pretty spontaneous decision after playing Pitchfork. I met my girlfriend at the festival and decided my life needed a new direction. I spend a lot of time back home in the Valley but think its important to have a little distance creatively.”
James’ former band, The Goa Express, burned bright for several years, releasing a clutch of impressive indie-rock singles and one enthralling, psych-fuelled, eponymous album in that time. Formed of James, his brother Joe (keys), Joey Stein (lead guitar), Naham Muzaffar (bass) and Sam Launder (drums), they were a band of brothers that shared a love of egoic, modern-day British guitar bands. Combining the spikiest elements of Oasis, Supergrass and The Libertines, their songs were full of intensity, urgency and swagger.
But the move to France has marked a shift for James. Embarking on a solo career, his new songs are distinctly more melodic in flavour. His debut track, At First, taken from the forthcoming EP 75019, is an unusually vulnerable-yet-galloping alt-pop song. It’s a fascinating mix of foot-tapping and chin-stroking that gets deep into your veins. Think Hot Chip meets John Grant, if you can.
The follow-up, I Like It Like That, dances along a similar path, albeit with a more juiced-up air. There are elements of Youth Lagoon at the fore, with the rhythmic nuance of Little Dragon underfoot. Completing the EP, If You Want Me glides out towards a more cinematic mood, while Around The Corner rises up with optimism, a soaring, hook-tastic pop affair.
For production duties James has teamed up with Steve Cobby of Fila Brazillia. With the fuzz and crunch of The Goa Express in mind, it may seem a peculiar choice. Fila Brazillia were an electronic duo that blazed a trail in the 90s, melding indie-dance and post-house ambient scapes to great effect, alongside the likes of Kruder & Dorfmiester. But for James’ new creative approach, it’s an ideal fit.
James: “The songs for the EP were all written last year. They started as acoustic demos before evolving into synth pop tracks. It was a fast process. Steve Cobby added the final touches. It was all very easy. I love simplicity, so we would try to keep things from becoming overly complicated. There’s no need. I want these songs to be accessible to everyone.”
James’ ties to the north of England remain strong. The studio recordings with Steve Cobby took place in Hull. The EP is released on Golden Lion Sounds on 10” vinyl, adding to a roster of artists that includes Jarvis Cocker, David Holmes, Jane Weaver and Working Men’s Club.
“I’ve known Richard and Matthew (Golden Lion Sounds) forever. When I was a kid, me and Matthew played for the same football team. I love the Pennine Valley – it’s home – and think it has so much character. The pub and the label really know their stuff and are all in it for the right reasons. It’s the perfect place to start the new project and I’m very thankful to the both of them.”
In keeping with the theme of transition, the lyrics to James’ debut, At First, read, at times, like the outpourings of a guy processing the surge of youth and the rites of passage that come with it.
At first I was a kid
Had the feeling I was pretty good at it
And then I was a teen
Had the feeling I was never really seen
That said, James is evidently at peace with the present. Life in Paris seems to have given him a new lease of creativity.
“I would like to get back in the studio with Cobby for EP two. It was fun and we need a good catch up. A few shows would be lovely too, but I think it would be more beneficial for me to release again soon. Aside from that, my life will remain simple. I’ll exercise, spend time outside, go to the cinema, see friends and record demos in the bedroom.”
Follow C Douglas and Golden Lion Sounds on Instagram.
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