James Austin Melton’s "Adaptive Fiction" is a mesmerizing Folk Jazz journey
James Austin Melton’s new EP, Adaptive Fiction, may only be two tracks long, but it packs the emotional and musical depth of a full-length record. Melding the raw intimacy of acoustic singer-songwriter storytelling with the fluid unpredictability of jazz, Melton crafts an experience that is both deeply personal and sonically adventurous. Recorded live at Soundplex Studios with a stellar supporting cast, Adaptive Fiction is a testament to organic musicianship, nuanced songwriting, and the power of unfiltered emotion.
The EP opens with Pillow’s Door, a three-minute meditation on the elusive nature of dreams. Melton’s acoustic guitar work is fluid and intricate, shifting effortlessly through key and time signature changes without ever feeling unnatural. His voice carries a quiet urgency, as if grasping at memories that dissipate the moment he wakes. The interplay between Adam Gresko and Trevor Rogers’ understated percussion and Gabe Preston’s warm alto saxophone adds a layer of dreamlike movement, mirroring the song’s theme of slipping in and out of consciousness. It’s the kind of track that lingers in the air long after the final note, much like the fragments of a dream that refuse to be fully remembered.
If Pillow’s Door is an introspective whisper, the title track, Adaptive Fiction, is an immersive dive into the complexities of self-deception and longing. At 15 minutes, it’s an ambitious piece, evolving in movements rather than verses and choruses. Here, Melton expands his sonic palette, bringing in Zane Carnes on double bass and Grace Lee Asuncion on vibraphone, adding depth and texture to an already rich arrangement.
As the song builds toward its climax, the group falls into a free-flowing improvisation, a swirl of percussive energy, undulating bass, and vibraphone textures that feel both weightless and chaotic. It’s a moment of catharsis, of complete musical surrender, before the track slowly fades back into the ether.
For an EP with only two tracks, Adaptive Fiction covers an impressive amount of ground. Melton proves himself not just as a songwriter, but as a sonic architect—balancing structure and spontaneity, intimacy and expansiveness. The musicianship is impeccable, the production crisp yet organic, and the themes deeply resonant.
This isn’t background music; it’s a listening experience that demands attention, rewarding those who allow themselves to be fully absorbed. We urge everyone out there to take a moment, listen and follow, and of course to stay tuned for more in the works.
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