In 2010, the blogosphere was in an uproar over the sensational The Bells Sketch, CMYK, and Klavierwerke EPs. These albums were the creation of 22 year old James Blake, a UK dubstep producer attempting to revitalize the largely split electronic scene. Praised for it's r&b influence and futuristic sound, James Blake approached the genre with an open mind and dexterity. What's mostly impressive is just how overwhelming the production is on these albums. For starters, there's the sharp, precisely timed 23rd century synths cutting in and out of the mix. It's matched by glitched out vocals, muffled bass drum hits, and swift hand claps, all layered upon new-age sounding bleeps and held down piano chords. And then there's the bass, an instrument that has become a staple for the dubstep genre, used so subtly that it's arguably the most powerful part of these albums. There's no “wobwobwobwob” breakdowns or cliched samples from popular movies; the sound itself is so new and matured that people are defining it in a genre completely separate from dubstep altogether.
James Blake, the 2011 self titled debut, shows a different side to Blake's character: his voice. The EPs approached the vocals by distorting, cutting, and sampling them; but on his self titled debut, Blake sings in a notably beautiful and soulful tone. If you thought there was an R&B influence earlier, it's now entirely noticeable. “Lindesfarne”, a two part song that splits the LP in half, begins with a two and a half minute Bon Iver-esque vocal solo. No sub-bass, no rising synths, no 2-step madness; it's simply Blake singing a song to the listener. It all sounds unusually calm, possibly even out of place; But the more I think about it, the more I realize how restrained this album actually is. This could be either a good or bad thing regarding how you look at it, but for an “electronic album”, it's definitely experimental. Going from intimate vocal verses to quiet dubstep territories is a tricky subject, but Blake deals with this with such sophistication that it almost seems natural. If anything, James Blake is an album that truly explores Blake's true intentions; instead of hiding behind a shroud of effects, he's singing directly to the audience.
Herein lies the problem with James Blake; while I do appreciate the creative expression that Blake is exhibiting, I can't help but admit that it's a bit of a buzzkill. Don't get me wrong, I really do love his voice and I have nothing wrong with this album's soulful approach, but going from the intense ending of “I Never Learnt to Share” to two minutes of uninterrupted singing in “Lindesfarne” doesn't totally work out. I mean this in the most trivial way, but it's worth mentioning to a fan base that has grown to love his eccentric style. If anything, the only thing to really blame here is that some songs are just better than others. Whereas “Unluck”, “The Wilhelm Scream”, the aforementioned “I Never Learnt to Share”, and “I Mind” are sensational and inspiring tracks that improve with each listen, “Lendesfarne I”, “Give Me My Month”, and “Why Don't You Call Me” are just decent, the latter two being sprawling piano tracks with no real direction. These songs aren't bad per se, but they're just not entirely necessary.
With this new release, Blake has yet again certified himself as the leader of an entirely new electronic movement. Call it what you want, but Blake has delivered a debut LP which shows his outstanding production skills as well as his sincere talent. It is lacking towards the middle, but his utmost intelligence and unpredictability asserts himself as an artist who's career has really just begun.
4/5
Recommended Tracks: "I Mind", "I Never Learnt To Share", "Unluck".
Listen to a sampling of the tracks here
No comments:
Post a Comment