James Percival – “Curtains Closed”

I’m simply amazed by the creativity of James Percival’s new EP “Curtains Closed”. If you have ever been a bystander and watched a loved one struggle, this EP will make you feel the pain in your chest. James shares a very personal story based on his sister’s experience with Long-Covid and turns it into art that is both poignant and powerful.

The EP becomes even more interesting halfway through when the lyrics are left behind and it is all about the music. “Disembodied” is a mind-bending instrumental featuring incredible quintuplet polyrhythms performed live – no studio trickery here, folks. You can practically feel the band locked in telepathic communication.

The song “What am I supposed to feel?” was created in collaboration with saxophonist Reuben Selby, providing another layer of emotion, and Oren Velasquez Hirtenstein’s guitar work takes things to new heights elsewhere on the record.

Some of these songs were recorded on the childhood piano beneath his sister’s bedroom, and there is something raw and genuine about these recordings that cannot be faked in a studio. When that reverb becomes almost another instrument in the last track, you will be immersed in that charged environment.

This is a fantastic set of songs that is both experimental and moving, and James is a true artist who writes and performs his own music; you should follow the rising artist on all social media to catch his upcoming performances around Birmingham and beyond as he continues to redefine what an EP can be throughout the rest of 2025.