Klaxons’ James Righton announces debut album as Shock Machine

Shock Machine – the solo project launched by James Righton at the start of 2016 – today announces details of his forthcoming debut album. Eponymously-titled Shock Machine, the ten track album will be released on 17th February 2017 via Marathon Artists.

Shock Machine was recorded in a remote cabin in the south of France with producer James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Florence The Machine, Haim) and mixer Ben H Allen (Gnarls Barkley, Animal Collective, Deerhunter). It also features artwork by Rob Carmichael, famed for his work with the likes of Animal Collective, Panda Bear and Dirty Projectors. Released via Marathon Artists (home to Courtney Barnet, Jagwar Ma and Baaba Maal among others), the album is a collection of timeless pop music that embraces inspiration from decades of off-kilter greats – from Todd Rundgren and Dennis Wilson, to early Paul McCartney and Roxy Music – but reimagines them though an expansive, psychedelic 21st century lens to conjure up something truly modern; in James’ own words, “Elton John’s Benny & the Jets on acid”. The sense of an artist finding his own voice, unbothered by fashion or current notions of what’s hip is pretty hard to escape throughout: Shock Machine feels like an album powered by the giddy rush of someone falling head over heels in love with music again. Which is precisely what it is.

To celebrate news of the album, Shock Machine today releases the brand new video for current single ‘Lost In The Mystery’. Directed by Nova Dando, the stunningly-shot video builds on the success of Saam Farahmand’s videos for Shock Machine’s eponymous debut song and Open Up The Sky, and Righton’s collaboration with Simon Amstell for Channel Four’s Random Acts.

Watch the ‘Lost In The Mystery’ video HERE

Shock Machine track list:

1. Open Up The Sky
2. Unlimited Love
3. Shock Machine
4. Lost In The Mystery
5. Let Her Love In
6. First Of May
7. Fire Up My Heart
8. Strange Waves
9. Get You
10. Something More

Shock Machine will be available on LP, CD and digitally. Pre-order the album HERE

Critical Praise for Shock Machine...

• “Beloved psychedelic pop with its rich harmonies and unconventional arrangements...with a crisp, contemporary sound’ - Dazed & Confused
• “Blissfully progressive pop” - DIY
• ‘It’s an exciting and promising track that makes us excited for what’s to come from the project’ - Noisey
• ‘Have my eyes deceived me!? What sound you make, your visuals will fill my dreams’ - Albert Hammond Jnr
• “Gorgeous” – Line of Best Fit
• ‘Stunning’ - Mark Ronson