Leap is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter James Bay, released on 8 July 2022 through Mercury and Republic Records. It was preceded by the singles "Give Me the Reason", "One Life" and "Everybody Needs Someone", and includes production and songwriting from Dave Cobb, Foy Vance, Ian Fitchuk, Joel Little and Finneas.[7]
Recording
The album was recorded "in a mixture of in person and remote sessions" in Nashville and London.[8]
Critical reception
Roy Sang of Clash described Leap as "a warm hug to those hankering to see the silver lining amidst the storms of life" and felt that it "exhibits a more unguarded side of Bay than seen previously as a successful attempt to augment his artistic palette".[3] Ali Shutler of NME characterised the album as "a bold, self-assured collection of songs about satisfaction" and "very much a return to those breakout acoustic campfire songs" from earlier in his career, commenting that "Bay has never sounded so sure of himself", concluding that Leap is a "touching, delicate record that finally sees Bay entirely comfortable with who he is".[6]
Reviewing the album for the Evening Standard David Smyth called the album a "retreat to the sounds that made [Bay] big in the first place", writing that "Too much of the rest stays in his comfort zone, mid-paced and melodic. He's back in the middle of the road, waiting to see if the masses will rejoin him."[4] Joe Muggs of The Arts Desk found that the "woah-woahs and undeniable emotional gut punches are all there, so the album will do fine" and Bay's "talent" to be "absolutely undeniable", but in light of the "far rawer emotion" of artists like Sam Fender, wondered if Bay "might not be capable of something much more lastingly powerful if he punched through the homilies and got to something a bit more individualist".[2]
Commercial performance
Leap debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart.[9] At the midweek stage, Bay was 300 chart units ahead of the number two album.[10]
