[5] Thirty One was recorded in Auckland, L.A., Melbourne and Sydney and was co-written by Joel Little, Malay, Pip Norman and (his longtime friend) Matt Corby.

"[7] Jessica Thomas from Renowned for Sound gave the album 4.5 out of 5, saying: "His new record is all about minimalism; you won't find exaggerated or elaborate structures.

She added: "Ultimately James has delivered a beautiful blend of soulful pop and subtle EDM that makes Thirty One a refined, fresh collection of inspired tracks.

In fact, perhaps the biggest disappointment is that the record meets our expectations almost exactly – there are no surprises and nothing half as immediate as 'Do You Remember' [...] and so we have tracks that are not awful but indistinct, and tending to bleed into one another, turning the album into one long, rather sooky lament".

D'Amore commended first single "Do You Remember" but said the album reveals a common theme of "familiar drumbeat, clicks and snaps" and "the record overall becomes easily forgettable.