JP Saxe Announces Two Part Album With Part One, Articulate Express, Dropping Next Month

by | Mar 16, 2025

Multi-platinum master storyteller JP Saxe has announced a forthcoming two-part album, with part one, Articulate Excuses, due out on 18th April on Arista Records. The announcement comes alongside the release of the relatable meditation on our modern condition and viscerally vulnerable statement, SMARTPHONE MAKE ME DUMB and its accompanying lyric video.

JP Saxe @ Shepherd's Bush Empire

JP Saxe @ Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)
JP Saxe @ Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)

The two-part album traces the GRAMMY®-nominated singer-songwriter’s journey through a series of personal revelations. After writing and recording the album and feeling like there were two distinct themes to the songs, Saxe decided to present the album in two parts – he describes the decision as “90% for creative reasons and 10% because of the pragmatism of navigating people’s increasingly nonexistent attention spans. I love my music so much and even l have trouble listening to 14 in a row. So how could I expect someone else to?” Each part has a unique sonic and thematic identity that gives one message when listened to on its own or as a complete project.”

SMARTPHONE MAKE ME DUMB” fits squarely into Articulate Excuses, which pulls from a period in which Saxe worked to come to terms with his patterns and personhood thus far. The track opens on pretty piano and a tension-building tone as Saxe sings searchingly about a familiar brand of existential dread: “I can’t get out of bed, there’s nothing good I can imagine / It’s scary in my head, I’m not ready for these interactions / I’ll do anything for a distraction.” While most of the song lives in a pensive place, Saxe is joined by a soulful chorus of voices for the heartbreaking hook: “Don’t leave me alone with my thoughts.”

“Consciousness is exhausting,” says the 31-year-old Toronto-hailing musician. “Staring at hot strangers and whales and hydraulic smushed crayons for 5 seconds at a time on your phone is way easier. So is poison-induced vulnerability (alcohol) and disconnection masked as connection (flippant sex). Sure, maybe our brains are slowly rotting, but at least we’re not burdened by the stress of aliveness.”

In January, he shared the first taste of the part one, SAFE, a sweetly moody R&B-kissed pop track co-written and produced by Malay (Frank Ocean, FLETCHER, Lorde) that put his signature mix of reflection and wit on full display — watch the video HERE. That was, in fact, Saxe’s first new solo song since he hit the road in late 2023 in support of John Mayer’s arena tour, and then kept going deep into 2024 on his own sold-out, globe-spanning, headlining run.

John Mayer @ The O2 Arena

John Mayer @ The O2 Arena (Kalpesh Patel)
John Mayer @ The O2 Arena (Kalpesh Patel)

Saxe’s last new release was 2023’s A Gray Area album, which was largely produced by Malay and included the grooving, Mayer-featuring I Don’t Miss You, plus collaborations with the likes of five-time Latin-GRAMMY®-winning Colombian musician Camilo, folk-pop trio Tiny Habits, and singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine. By openly exploring his deepest anxieties and emotions, Saxe shared what was then his most relatable set of songs to date.

JP Saxe @ Shepherd's Bush Empire

JP Saxe
JP Saxe

Last year, after canvassing North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia on his A Grey Area World Tour, Saxe shared a pair of performance albums: A Grey Area (Live Sessions) — featuring acclaimed guest instrumentalists like Cory Henry and Tal Wilkenfeld — and Live On Stage, recordings from his recent tours that included a moving solo version of his late 2019 blockbuster, If the World Was Ending. Saxe has already proven himself to be a master of off-the-cuff intimacy, but with his forthcoming EPs, it’s clear that he’s bringing us in even closer.

Avalanche Party Bring Their ‘Dream…’ Post-Punk Show To Portsmouth

Wyatt Flores @ Roundhouse (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Wyatt Flores Brings Honest Heart And Sharp Style To London’s Roundhouse

On a crisp October night at London’s Roundhouse, Wyatt Flores stepped onto the stage to a roaring crowd, his name echoing around the vaulted room with a force that surprised even him. Supporting 49 Winchester on their UK run, the Oklahoma-born singer-songwriter might technically have been the opener, but from the reaction that greeted him, it was clear many had come just as much for Wyatt.

49 Winchester @ Roundhouse (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

From Russell County To Camden Town: 49 Winchester’s Triumphant Roundhouse Performance

Virginia’s 49 Winchester transformed Camden’s Roundhouse into a celebration of straight-from-the-heart Americana. Early in the set, frontman Isaac Gibson acknowledged to the audience that this was the band’s first sold-out night on the tour and the response from the crowd made clear how much the moment meant to everyone in the room.

Echobelly @ Electric Ballroom (Kalpesh Patel)

Echobelly Bring ON To Life At The Electric Ballroom – A Triumphant Celebration Of Britpop’s Enduring Spirit

It’s been three decades since Echobelly released ON, the Britpop-era gem that cemented them as one of the most vital and distinctive voices of the mid-90s. On Thursday night at London’s Electric Ballroom, the band — fronted by the magnetic Sonya Madan and founding guitarist Glenn Johansson — returned to Camden to celebrate that legacy, playing the album in full to a sold-out crowd that sang, swayed, and grinned their way through one of the most joyous nostalgia trips of the year.

The Kooks @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Not Naïve – The Kooks Are Always Where They Need To Be At London’s O2 Arena

Brighton Indie Pop darlings The Kooks played quite possibly the biggest and best show of their 20 year career at The O2 Arena on Saturday night. A night of nostalgia, of celebration and of cementing themselves as one of the best British bands formed in the 21st century.

Jordan Pundik of New Found Glory @ O2 Academy Birmingham (Nick Allan)

New Found Glory Never Miss, Only Hit At O2 Academy Birmingham

There’s something about a New Found Glory show that feels like coming home. No matter how many years have passed or how much life has changed, when those opening chords hit, you’re right back where it all started — shouting lyrics with your friends, sweaty, smiling, and completely lost in the moment.

Remember Monday @ Latitude Festival 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Remember Monday Return With New Single ‘More Than Ever’ Ahead Of Headline UK Tour

Country-pop trio Remember Monday continue their breakout year with the release of their new single More Than Ever, co-written with GRAMMY® winner and chart-topping artist Cian Ducrot. The track arrives just as the band kick off their highly anticipated What The Hell Just Happened? UK and Ireland headline tour, which culminates at London’s iconic O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

Davina Michelle (Press)

Davina Michelle Launches Empowering New Era With ‘What A Woman’

Dutch pop sensation Davina Michelle has released her brand-new single What A Woman, an empowering anthem that celebrates the strength, intelligence, and individuality of women everywhere. The track arrives alongside a striking new music video, introducing a bold new chapter for one of the Netherlands’ most successful modern pop artists.

Ash @ Scala (Kalpesh Patel)

Ash Share Video for ‘Ad Astra’ Featuring Graham Coxon

Northern Irish alt-rock stalwarts Ash have shared the video for their latest single Ad Astra, featuring Blur’s Graham Coxon, taken from their brand-new album of the same name — out now on Fierce Panda Records.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing