PROXIMA 

Born 10 November 1986 – PROXIMA – Know as James Burwell, he is an emerging artist based in Dublin, Ireland – Raised in the gritty urban Grime scene of the U.K, hailing from Leeds in the north of England. It’s in the U.K where he underwent his formative musical experience, consuming everything from Jungle, Dub, D&B, Basslines to Garage. His musical journey started from a young age cooking in the kitchen with his mum while singing along to reggae tunes, coming of age during the emergence of the U.K grime scene and its eminent rise and evolution into a scene that produced multiple global artists & defined a culture and generation had a monumental effect on his musical development. Performing with other local youth artists on pirate radio, live street performances and creating music in friend’s home studio set ups were his first taste of musical production and the freedom creativity offers.

 

Over the years and through many life changes from adulthood, fatherhood and moving countries, his music has evolved beyond the average sing along radio friendly Rap into more conscious lyrics consisting of melodic flows and poetic verses. Faster harder lyrics switch from rapid tirades to whimsical musings on a dime – showing no fear to showcase a more honest emotional side of rap with an emphasis on growth and development. Social politics and deeper emotional insights are threaded throughout his lyrics and verses, each track is not just a song, but a journey wrapped in cultural commentary and introspective ideals immersed in captivating beats.

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Discovering a deeper side of the Rap genre is a common theme, foregoing some of the more superficial elements in exchange for a more honest approach.  Sharing the inherent struggle that it took to build the urban music scene we have today in Ireland & Europe with a new generation of listeners is clearly a priority goal. Passion, ambition, and resourcefulness are key elements to the production of his music and cornerstone of the ideals of which he wishes to share with those same listeners.

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His most recent project – “The Proxima Solution” embraces the best elements of his prior musical experience along with futurist ideologies, expressions of social inclusion and global freedom. Songs like Lyrics I’m Dreaming” and “16” promote a wild energy and a passion for equality, they are clearly a preliminary indication of the powerful music we can come to expect from Proxima moving forwards into the future.