#40 Feat. New Releases in Electronica

Former Pulled Apart By Horses guitarist, James Adrian Brown, shares his new single Sidestep, the second track to be taken from his forthcoming debut solo album Forever Neon Lights out January 30th via Castles In Space. After achieving chart success, touring the world, and releasing four critically acclaimed studio albums with PABH, Brown has begun paving a new path in instrumental electronic music. Sidestep is available on all streaming platforms, featuring three exclusive remixes from KLSR, Kayla Painter and (O) Naut. Where previous single Generator introduced the albums themes of resilience and momentum, Sidestep dives into the moment where balance falters, and how to move forwards. Fast-paced, concise and rhythm-driven, the track captures the feeling of trying to find your footing when life tilts unexpectedly. On the new single, Brown says I wanted it to feel like the gears shifting under your feet. The analogue synths, the pace, the glitchy edges, they all represent that moment where everything wobbles but you find a path through it. Its the sound of recalibration. Browns solo work is heavily electronica-based, utilising analogue synths alongside tape machines, piano, strings, and immersive electronics. His focus lies in the analogue process of capturing and creating sound using physical hardware. Hot off the heels of producing Benefits critically acclaimed album Constant Noise earlier this year, and following a continual flow of live shows, singles, EPs, collaborations and remixes by the likes of Hayden Thorpe, Blood Red Shoes & Benefits. Forever Neon Lights is an exploration of memory, movement and transformation. The album draws inspiration from childhood trips to the Blackpool Illuminations, where brightness, motion and imagination fused into a lifelong sense of creative possibility and hope. Across its tracks, Brown reflects on childhood wonder, the excitement of possibility, and the struggles and triumphs of chasing a creative life. The illuminations serve as both literal and metaphorical inspiration: dazzling, unending, and powered by unseen energy. Brown worked on the record with long-time collaborator James Mottershead, merging analogue hardware and immersive electronics into a vivid, evolving sonic landscape. Forever Neon Lights marks a bold step in his reinvention from acclaimed guitarist of Pulled Apart By Horses to an instrumental electronic artist with a distinct emotional and sonic identity. Speaking about making the record, Brown says: This album is me laying everything out, the things Ive carried since being a child, the hopes, dreams, and doubts Ive felt as an adult, and the stubbornness to see things through. Writing and recording it felt like reconnecting with that wide-eyed version of myself who thought the lights back in Blackpool wrapped right around the entire country every Christmas and went on forever. Its about taking that feeling and turning it into something lasting and real. Forever Neon Lights will be released January 30th, 2026, on one of Britains most essential electronic record labels, Castles In Space. The album will be available on limited 12 gatefold vinyl and across all streaming platforms.

James Adrian Brown