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James Bright and Gaeya don’t merely write songs — they craft immersive soundscapes that offer room to breathe, reflect, and drift beyond the everyday. With Imaginal, they open the door to a vivid yet serene sonic realm, where melodies become places and every texture hints at a quiet sanctuary.
From the very first track — a seamless collaboration where Gaeya’s celestial vocals dance above James’s hypnotic, layered patterns — Imaginal unfolds like a guided journey inward. In pieces like Stillness, warm arpeggios and fragile harmonies invite us deeper into a space of calm contemplation and emotional clarity.
In this conversation, we explore with James and Gaeya how their music bridges the inner and outer worlds, how place and sound intertwine, and how imagining new landscapes can help us find our way back to ourselves.
Gaeya /both: your voice adds a unique texture to James Bright’s ambient-electronica sound. How did you both get involved, and what drew you to this particular style of music?
James: I’ve been writing, producing and releasing downtempo music for over 25 years now, under the name LUX, which was a collaboration with my good friend Steve Miller (Afterlife) and my own name as a solo artist. I’ve recently got into modular Synthesis and have found myself listening to more and more ambient/electronica. My Publisher Sveva Music introduced me to Sandra/Gaeya. She had recently worked with another artist on their roster. As soon as I heard her beautiful, unique voice I knew it would work really with the music I was writing for the album.
Gaeya: We were introduced through our shared publisher, and I had the great honor of James reaching out to me for a collaboration on these two particular songs. The moment I heard the tracks, I completely fell in love with his sound. There was something deeply inspiring about them, and it felt like such a gift to be invited to add my melodies to his work.
What made this collaboration especially joyful was the chance to merge our musical worlds in such a natural way. Bringing what I call ‘Earth Singing’ into his sonic landscape felt both effortless and exciting
Both: ‘Cadence’ and ‘Stillness’ create a very reflective mood. What do you hope listeners experience when they hear these songs?
James: The two tracks with Gaeya and all the other tracks from the album are very much intended to take the listener on an aural journey. I think music like this can draw personal meaning for each individual listener. Hopefully it will take them on their own journey. The album is called Imaginal. The “imaginal realm” is a concept, often explored in mystical and spiritual traditions, referring to an invisible, energetic realm that is believed to be a meeting ground between the visible and invisible worlds, accessible through heightened awareness.
Gaeya: I think for me, Stillness is very much about bringing the listener into a space where they can feel how motion and stillness can truly become one—when we are aware and allow ourselves to be fully present in the now.
It’s about inspiring people to reconnect with their true core by taking a moment in this ever-rushing world to simply pause, to breathe, and to become centered within their own energy and body.We usually don’t need much time for that. But I hope this song can serve as a gentle reminder—to pause, just for a little while, and rediscover that inner stillness within your center.
Gaeya: James mentions that your collaboration fuses organic tones with blissful arpeggios. How do you approach blending your voice with electronic elements in a way that feels both natural and ethereal?
Gaeya: For me, James truly created a beautiful space with his music. It’s like stepping into another world—and for me, it became like exploring the web of the universe.
When approaching pieces of music like these, I try to listen to what is already being said. Then, I connect myself to a place on Earth or somewhere out in the universe, and with my voice, I try to channel—through sound—what that specific place or moment wants to communicate to us.
I always find this way of creating to be a deeply liberating and healing experience for myself, and I hope the listener can also feel that sense of healing and liberation when hearing the songs.
James: One of the tracks, Surface Tension stands out with its bold waves of bass and synth. What can you tell us about the creative process behind that song?
As I mentioned, I’ve spent the last year learning about modular synthesis, although I’m really just scratching the surface, it’s opened up a whole new world for me creatively. All the songs from the album were written on my modular system.
I had the idea for the track Surface Tension while sat next to a river. I was watching insects and falling leaves skating across the waters surface. I tried to get this feeling across with the music .The bass portraying the water and the sounds the different things playing across the surface.
James: ‘Bioluminal’ has a very warm, ambient feel. Which place or space is connected to this one?
James: Bioluminal was written while watching footage filmed about the creatures that live in the very deepest parts of the ocean. The Bioluminescent light they produce through chemical reactions in their bodies is really beautiful to watch in the dark depths.
Both: The album is music for the “mind, body, and soul.” Do you believe that music has a deeper, almost spiritual, effect on listeners? If so, how do you envision your role in that experience?
James: I definitely think that music is a powerful medium that can evoke a whole host of experiences for listeners. It can connect with emotions, physically and spiritually. I think any creative artist has a vison or a personal feeling for their work but the beauty of any art form is that it can provoke different experiences for each individual. The names for the songs on the album have personal meanings for me but I like to think that anyone listening to the music will have their own unique interpretations.
Gaeya: I definitely believe that music holds a deeper role and impact on us as humans—more than we might realize. From a scientific perspective, frequencies have a direct effect on both us and the world around us. But beyond that, music and sound live in our DNA. They’ve always been a central part of human evolution—a direct link to our emotions, our electromagnetic field, and our memories.
Whenever I create music, I set the intention that it serves the highest good of each individual who listens, and that it comes from a space of love and compassion.
James: ‘You Are The Sky’ closes ‘Imaginal’- an album going into depths with every single song and as a concept album. What was important for you in the developing and recording process?
James: I wrote, recorded and produced everything (apart from Gaeya’s vocals) in my home studio. Learning the basics of modular synthesis has been quiet a steep learning curve, so it was really important for me to get the sound right for this album. I still have so much to learn, which is really exciting. My main aim was to produce beautiful, thought provoking music. Which I hope I have managed to Achieve.
.Both: What’s next for you both together or solo? Any upcoming collaborations, live performances, or projects you can share with us?
James: I’m in the studio, writing every day and will have some new tracks finished very soon. I’m also collaborating on some new material with Japanese artist Yumi Iwaki which I’m really excited about. Hopefully there will be some more songs with Gaeya very soon as well.
Gaeya: At the end of the month, I’m heading back to the US to play shows in Denver, CO. Then, at the beginning of May, I’ll be releasing the first track, Higher Ground, from my new EP Growth. I’m also re-launching my sustainability podcast TellUs and working on some truly exciting projects—both in the US and Europe—that I hope to share with you soon. It’s something I’m really looking forward to.
It’s been a pleasure collaborating with James, and we’ve talked about how fun it would be to create more together. There’s nothing to reveal just yet—but who knows, maybe soon.
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