This statement then evolves into a chant as the listener dives what seems as headfirst into the type of music Blake is known for. It begins simply, with Blake repeatedly stating “the sad thing is, you’re no longer here”. It’s a calm introduction to the record that creates the perfect gateway into the following track “Points”. Much of the album follows suit with this same theme – of loss of loneliness of brooding. The album begins with the beautiful lead single “Radio Silence.” It’s a dark and brooding confessional as Blake begs for more time with a lost connection. Just please, more time Just please, more time I’m sorry, I don’t know how you feel I don’t know how you feel It’s hard to tell if I don’t know how you feel Blake received international recognition for his 2013 release, which garnered him a Grammy nomination in 2014 for “Best New Artist” and a nod for “British Male Solo Artist” at the 2014 BRIT Awards. This was most likely achieved with the help of Frank Ocean, who co-wrote the album, and Rick Rubin, who co-produced. The production on this album is closely related to that of earlier works such as 2013’s Overgrown, but there is a higher level of maturity that can be heard around this time. The use of synths was very popular in the eighties and usually is a reminder of the cheesiest types of music, however Blake cleverly avoids the cheesiness and uses the sound to his advantage. It’s truly a spiritual journey when one sits down and fully beholds his work.Īnything is a body of work that is heavy with emotion and synthesizers to match. Blake is one of few modern artists to achieve this for the audience, and it helps to set him apart from everyone else. It’s a beautiful trip through which you can find yourself being more centered and attuned with your body. This creates a mood of tranquility his music is made for sitting and reflecting and focusing all your attention to your sense of hearing. James Blake is known for layering gorgeous harmonies over one simple melody. This is evident in much of his older works and remains the same with his most recent release, The Colour in Anything (via 1-800 Dinosaur / Polydor Records). One would assume that would make his music difficult to listen to, but in fact it creates an opposite effect. He pushes the envelope, creating music based on pure melodic tension. Rarely does he have songs that don’t contain a push and pull in-between notes and chords. It’s Blake’s trademark, and he uses it to his advantage. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about James Blake is dissonance. Maybe we need to start calling him that.James Blake’s The Colour in Anything is the musical reminder that we didn’t know we needed. He looked quite a lot like one of the best British singer-songwriters of our generation as he did so. Last night, on Later… with Jools Holland, he performed "Radio Silence," a song that encapsulates much of what he's about: club ready production shot through with moments of utterly stark loneliness, guided through the dark by his slow-burning vocals. Ironically, maybe it's taken Frank Ocean's nod of approval, via his co-writes on the record, for us to really see it. With it, the subtle indifference to him in the UK is thawing. Viewed through that prism, it's a little weird that we thirst so much over an absent Frank Ocean in the UK, when we've potentially had our own sitting here all along.īlake's latest album, The Colour in Anything, has gone some way to fixing this, purely by being the best thing he's ever made: a mammoth effort of seventeen tracks that are exploratory, sprawling, beautiful and "pretty damn optimistic". Blake, it seems, is revered with the utmost admiration, like some mild-mannered well of British talent that everyone wants a swig from. Kanye West loves him, Beyonce wants to work with him, Drake wants to sample him, Bon Iver wants to be on his album, and Kiwi pop queen Lorde has covered his songs.
But in the States, his stock is radically different.