James Bay - Leap (Deluxe Edition) (2022) Hi-Res

Leap is James Bay’s most introspective album to date, despite the fact that he has never shied away from sharing his most intimate thoughts and feelings with his listeners. It’s a good vehicle for delivering the album’s overarching message of hope coming out of the challenging times we’ve all recently been through because it combines this candor with an increasingly complex sound.

Although Bay calls this “the most positive thing” he has ever written, there is still room for Bay to address challenging topics and reveal the Grammy-nominated singer at his most vulnerable. In a crucial and unusual way, the 12 songs on the album, plus the additional 4 tracks, function almost like a diary for the musician, examining personal struggles with self-worth, loneliness, and the fight to keep going when it seems all hope is lost. However, it also pushes through to the other side and the healing, joy, and contentment found at the top of the mountain.