A&M/ ATLAS; 2011
Our Take - 8.8
One reason I am so late reviewing James Blake's debut album is that I didn't know how to approach it. Still, even now, I am unsure of exactly what is important to include. As a musician, he is something of a wunderkind. Having only been discovered 2 years prior, he has already released 4 EP's (which combined took a prominent spot on my best of 2010 list) and a full length LP (which will take a prominent spot on my best of 2011 list).
Why is he important and what makes him stand out from the hoards of other singer-songwriters out there? Simply put, he is changing pop music. I haven't heard anything quite like him. His musicianship qualities are remarkable-- he has a gentle touch on the piano, a simple and unique voice that he often manipulates electronically, and a knack for creating elegant hooks. CoS contributor Drew Litowitz describes his sound wel in his review of the record, "he’s covered a lot of electronica ground in a relatively short time: chilling explorations through dubstep rhythms, sound collages, dance hall-infused house, and electro-pop or whatever you want to call it. The fuzzy, hazy, blip-laden textures don’t let you know if it’s time to dance, take a nap on the couch, drink yourself into a coma, or cry yourself to sleep."
Part of the magic in regards to James Blake is in his minimalism, the texture of his sounds, the way he pieces them and layers them together, and perhaps most importantly the way in which he incorporates silence into his songs. He has the potential to be a crossover hit and change the way people view dubstep.
James Blake is so many things, a producer, a pop-singer, a singer-songwriter, a dubstep enthusiast, a sonic manipulator, and a prodigy. Above everything else he is a successful experimentalist-- one who is quickly becoming a phenom.
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