Day 21: James Edan | #HITSBC17

Hey guys!

Day 21.
That's three weeks of exclusive performances so far.
Sounds a bit crazy, doesn't it?

It always blows my mind to see how many talented musicians are excited to join us for this and, clearly, I've been in this state of over-excitement for three weeks now.
It's like having had too much coffee for three weeks straight.
I'm not sure how I feel about that.

However, I'm super excited, ha ha, for today's performance!
Check it out!


What is #HITSBC17?
HITSBC17 stands for house in the sand's Birthday Countdown 2017.
Throughout the entire month of February, we are going to celebrate house in the sand's fifth birthday.
(Because why celebrate on one day, if you can celebrate for an entire month, right?)
With the support from some of the finest artists and bands around, each day in February will be filled with an exclusive performance just for us.

Who is performing today?
James Edan.
He is a singer/songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland.
James is one half of house in the sand's favourite duo, Martin and James.
With the band being on a break, both individuals are now making music on their own.

James' influences vary from intensity of Bruce Springsteen, to Simon and Garfunkel's handcrafted songs, to the Spice Girls and their catchy pop vibes.

His own sound blends Rock, Pop and Folk - in the charming acoustic manner, as well as with big compositions.

His recently released EP "Flying Solo" showcases his strong and expressive voice and his writing skills.

What needs to be said about this performance?
It's another premiere of a new song! We love those exclusives over here on HITS and are absolutely stoked for you to watch this one.
James just knows how to craft a great song and this one is no exception.

Alright, now here we go - check out James performing his new song "Pretty Life" for us.





Where can we find James Edan online?
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram

Who deserves a thank you?
James does! For recording the video, but also for five years of support and encouragement. I appreciate this so much!

What can we do now?
If you enjoyed this video and post, please help us reach more people.
Share it online along with the hashtag #HITSBC17.
We would love to hear what you think, so please feel free to comment.


And that's it for today. Thank you all so much for the interest in this countdown, it's honestly the best thing to receive. Stay tuned for our final week!



Day 20:                                                                                                Day 22:
                                                                       

Thank you for your visit!

Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: James Edan | Video: James Edan for house in the sand

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Audio Interview: James Edan

Hey guys!

The audio interviews have quickly made it onto my list of favourite features.
Doing phone interviews or interviews that are just taped, you often end up transcribing the entire conversation so you can later publish it.

This was honestly the most annoying part of my journalism studies.
When you read a statement, there are so many ways to interpret it.
But when you listen to somebody state their opinion, you're most likely to understand it just the way they've meant it.

And because that's exactly what I want to do with house in the sand, these recorded interviews make life a little bit easier and better.

I recently had a chat with one of the most wonderful guys in this industry, James Edan.

James Edan is a singer/songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland.
James is one half of house in the sand's favourite duo, Martin and James.
With the band being on a break, both individuals are now making music on their own.

James' influences vary from intensity of Bruce Springsteen, to Simon and Garfunkel's handcrafted songs, to the Spice Girls and their catchy pop vibes.

His own sound blends Rock, Pop and Folk - in the charming acoustic manner, as well as with big compositions.
His upcoming EP "Flying Solo" showcases his strong and expressive voice and his writing skills. Make sure to keep an eye and an ear on James.

Just a few days ago I got to call James to record a little interview.

We had a little chat about his rather random and unexpected solo career, treating songwriting as a 9 to 5 job, social media and a lot more.


You can listen to our conversation here:




Check out this EP teaser to get a preview of all songs on James' upcoming EP "Flying Solo":




James Edan online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!

Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: via James Edan Facebook

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EP Review: "Flying Solo" by James Edan

Hey guys!

I don't know how many of you know the story of how house in the sand got started.
Or where I stole the name from.

Well, back in 2012 I went to a gig which blew me away. 

After telling all my friends about how incredible it was for the seventh time, I decided I had to find a new audience to share my experiences with.
Soon the idea of creating a blog came to mind and I ended up becoming a blogger.

"house in the sand" comes from a line of one of my all-time favourite song, "Wrong Directions" by Martin and James.
This duo was the first band I've ever blogged about, I've ever interviewed and photographed backstage.

Both, Martin and James - and their legendary hero Ryan - have been incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout the years.

It makes me super happy that after almost five years of featuring them, they're still not sick of me and continue to be a part of HITS.

That's why today I get to talk to you about James Edan's upcoming solo EP, "Flying Solo".


Artist: James Edan
Title: Flying Solo
Genre: Alternative, Folk
Label: Independent
Release Date: 17th February 2017

 James Edan is a singer/songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland.
James is one half of house in the sand's favourite duo, Martin and James.
With the band being on a break, both individuals are now making music on their own.

James' influences vary from intensity of Bruce Springsteen, to Simon and Garfunkel's handcrafted songs, to the Spice Girls and their catchy pop vibes.

His own sound blends Rock, Pop and Folk - in the charming acoustic manner, as well as with big compositions.

His upcoming EP "Flying Solo" showcases his strong and expressive voice and his writing skills. Make sure to keep an eye and an ear on James.

Tracklist:
1) Beautiful Lie
2) Inner Child
3) Waiting On The Divine
4) Flying Solo
5) I'll Come To You
6) You're Gone

When I first heard the recorded version of opener "Beautiful Lie", I literally bursted with excitement,
because I couldn't wait for people to hear the song.
It starts of with a calmly, yet somehow intensely plucked acoustic guitar which highlights James' vocals. Just when you're ready to wrap yourself into a cozy blanket to listen to the song, James throws one of the most intense choruses your way.
The combination of a strong and confident drum beat, a supporting bass line and the raw electric guitar, create such powerful atmosphere.
However, it's also the soft details, the clever arrangements and backing vocals that give the song this soundtrack-like vibe. "Beautiful Lie" is bound to blow you away!

James' voice is an instrument he knows how to play.
"Inner Child" proves just that.
The deep and warm vocals control the track, yet they still allow the instrumentals to shine just as bright.
Mellow backing vocals highlight the lead vocals and give the song the freedom to unfold into the fantastic composition it's ought to be.

One thing you'll soon notice, is the musician's talent for lyrics.
James knows how to draw a picture with words. His lyrics are relatable, yet they never end up telling stories you've already heard twenty times before.

"You're Gone" is just one example; it tells the story of heartbreak - and whether you can relate to the lyrics or not - they will definitely remind you of that one time you though your heart wouldn't ever heal again.

To sum it up: James Edan is a fantastic singer AND songwriter who knows how to craft a song into an expressive and touching piece of art.
This first solo EP is a perfect way to find out what is yet to come. It's a first taste which will leave you wanting more.
Once again, James has re-assured us why we're such big fans of his work! 


You should listen to these tracks: Beautiful Lie, Inner Child, Flying Solo

You can listen to previews of every song below:




James Edan online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!

Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Artwork: via James Edan press kit | **with special thanks to James for asking us to review his EP**

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Day 22: James Edan | #HITSBC16

Hey guys!

This is the last week of our beautiful countdown and for as sad as I am about the end being so close,
I'm also unbelievably excited to share the last few performances with us.

We love all the acts featured on this countdown, but this last week belongs to the supporters that have been there since 2012.
house in the sand wouldn't be the same without their support, so let's celebrate them just as much as we celebrate the birthday!


What is #HITSBC16?
HITSBC16 stands for house in the sand's Birthday Countdown 2016.
Throughout the entire month of February, we will be celebrating this website's fourth birthday.
One artist/band a day is going to wish us a happy birthday and then perform a song exclusively for this sweet occasion.

Who is performing today?
James Edan.
He is a singer/songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland.
James is one half of house in the sand's favourite duo, Martin and James.
With the band being on a break, both individuals are now making music on their own.

James' influences vary from intensity of Bruce Springsteen, to Simon and Garfunkel's handcrafted songs, to the Spice Girls and their catchy pop vibes.

His own sound blends Rock, Pop and Soul - in the charming acoustic manner, as well as with big compositions.
His upcoming EP "Flying Solo" will be showcasing his strong and expressive voice and his writing skills. Make sure to keep an eye and an ear on James.

What is special about this video?
It's James' first acoustic video online as a solo act.
I am very convinced that his vocal performance is going to blow most of you away.
It's beautiful, it's intense and it makes it obvious why HITS supports this gentleman so much.


Please give it up for James Edan as he performs his new song "I'll Come To You".




Where can we find James Edan online?
Website | Facebook | YouTube

Who do we need to thank?
James, the wonderful, James!
There isn't one idea of mine involving him that he doesn't support. I have experienced so many different sides of this industry and I owe a lot to James. He once even sat down with me to help me with my studies! Can you believe it?
Thanks for all of this, James! See you soon!

house in the sand adores and supports both, James and Martin, equally and we are beyond excited to be working with both artists.

What can we do now?
If you've enjoyed this article, please help us reach more people by sharing it along with the hashtag #HITSBC16.
Everybody who uses the hashtag on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram has the chance to win something lovely once the countdown is over.


I hope you enjoyed day 22!

Day 21:                         Day 23:




Thank you for your visit!

Credits //Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image & Video (performance & camera): James Edan | Video intro (audio): Martin Kelly | Video intro (visual): Vanessa Jertschewske

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