Track of the Day: J Smith - 'Skipping Stones'

Dublin artist and ex-Gypsies On The Autobahn singer James Smith has returned with a new J Smith offering, the gorgeously poignant 'Skipping Stones'.

The folk-pop record is reminiscent of Elliot Smith and Ben Howard, and the first to be taken from a four-track EP. Its theme is a deeply personal one, focusing on holding on to memories of a lost parent after having a child yourself.

"The track touches on separation and distance with family, something we’ve all become very accustomed to in recent years," Smith tells Hot Press. "On a walk with my wife, I was overcome with a thought that I might never write another song about my father again, and it spurred the creation of 'Skipping Stones', made all the more significant having become a new father myself recently."

The gentle offering uses delicate guitar strumming and pared back instrumentation with a magical, intimate results. Universal language allows the lyrics to be instantly relatable, yet his words undoubtably highlight James' unique life experience of facing grief.

Having released his debut album (...)and you chose not to laugh last May, Smith dropped moving videos for 'Blood Orange' and 'I'm Sorry'. The latter marked his debut single as J Smith, and was written about heartbreak from the perspective of a friend.

Speaking last year for the Hot Press On Our Radar Q&A, J Smith described the differences between writing as himself versus his experimental YURN project.

"When writing as J Smith, I start on guitar or piano, and it’s more akin to the music people may have come to know me for. It takes influence from the likes of Nick Drake, Julia Jacklin and Sun Kil Moon. Some of my electronic influences from bands like Radiohead can also be heard," James told Tanis Smither.

"I strive to be vulnerable and reflective when writing – I want someone to learn something about me when they hear a song, and hopefully something about themselves. I grew up alongside some amazing songwriters, touring with Little Green Cars, having coffee around Brian Mooney’s honky piano, or hearing folk songs that could move a congregation."

Listen to the beautiful 'Skipping Stones' below: