James Blake
Hometown: London, UK
Tags: dj, electronica, electronic, experimental, dubstep
It all started, says James Blake, with Joni Mitchell.
His favorite singer and songwriter came to see him at the Troubadour in Los Angeles two years ago and hung around afterwards to talk.
What they talked about most was the idea of permanence—how to survive and thrive as an artist. On the flight back to London James wrote “Overgrown”, the gently immense song which lends its name to his highly anticipated second album. It’s about the things that last encapsulated in the lyric, “I don’t want to be a star but a stone on the shore, a lone doorframe in a war.”
“I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever written, and it’s the strongest message on the album,” says James. “Joni embodies the things I’m talking about. She was the spark that led to that song.”
Musically broad and emotionally deep, Overgrown as big as an advance on James’s eponymous 2011 debut. The growth is similar to the evolution that album evinced from the mercurial dubstep of his early EPs. It also reflects how much the 24-year-old Londoner’s life has changed in the past two years. His debut sold over 400,000 copies — quite a feat for a record so uncompromisingly introspective and experimental. It also picked up Mercury, BRIT and Ivor Novello nominations, sent him around the world on tour, and brought him into contact with a wide array of fans and collaborators that includes not only Mitchell but Jay-Z, Kanye West, Bon Iver, Björk, Drake, Brian Eno, and The RZA.
Most importantly, touring the debut led him to meet his girlfriend, whose presence (and sometimes absence: she lives in Los Angeles) gives Overgrown its considerable emotional weight.
“This past year has been intense,” says James. “In a time where otherwise you could feel the ground was moving too fast to remain normal or happy, she’s been there”
Their transatlantic relationship informs songs, such as the extraordinary electronic soul of the single “Retrograde”, which evoke both intimacy and distance. “The album is filled with the feeling of being in love for the first time and working out what that actually means,” he says. “All these things become part of your music.”
Early on in the process, his father, the musician James Litherland, told him he needed to concentrate on his songwriting because his two best-known songs were other people’s, notably Feist’s “Limit to Your Love” and Litherland’s own “Where to Turn”, rewritten as The Wilhelm Scream.
“He said songs are what people remember and you need to write some,” James adds. “I really worked at it.”
The songwriting was also shaped by playing dozens of shows with his childhood friends, guitarist Rob McAndrews and percussionist Ben Assister. He realized that some of the avant-garde tracks that made perfect sense in his bedroom didn’t always translate to audiences. “Instinctively, I’ve gravitated towards wanting to make music that people will really remember and love,” he says. “It’s an emotional impact I’m looking for.”
His singing, heavily treated on his earlier work, also privileges clarity and immediacy like never before. Many of the songs came to life in airplanes or in hotel rooms before being completed at his home in North London. It was on tour that he befriended Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, with whom he later collaborated on the cryptic Auto-Tuned spiritual of Fall Creek Boys Choir. It appeared on 2011’s transitional Enough Thunder EP, which also included his beautiful rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.”
For most of Overgrown, James is still a one-man show, but he opened up to other people, including Brian Eno on the percussive soul mantra “Digital Lion”. When James and Rob arrived at Eno’s house, the veteran artist and producer played them his favourite gospel record, Peace Be Still by Reverend James Cleveland and the Angelic Choir. “It just happened to be my favorite song too. We obviously had something in common.”
James was immersed in the first Wu-Tang Clan album when he wrote “Take a Fall For Me” in New York, so he asked the RZA to appear on it and the legendary MC/producer responded with a playfully anglophilic verse which makes reference to “fish and chips with vinegar, with a cold glass of stout”.
Another encounter with hip-hop royalty was entirely unplanned. While visiting his girlfriend in LA, James was invited to Kanye West’s studio. “He summons you like some sort of emperor,” he laughs.
He found himself playing tracks from his 2011 EP “Love What Happened Here” to a crack team of hip hop producers and meeting Jay-Z, who approvingly told him, “You’re a baaad man.”
“Just to know that Kanye had played a tune off a Hessle EP to Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder puts things in perspective,” says James. “It’s freed me in some ways because I’m not compartmentalizing my music anymore. I could put out a track on [electronica label] Hessle Audio or I could send it to an MC. All the boundaries have gone.”
The walls have certainly come down on Overgrown. From the jetlagged hip hop of “Take a Fall For Me” to hall-of-mirrors take on a late 90s R&B jam in “Life Round Here”, James never has the same idea twice. He affirms, “I probably won’t use a sound if it reminds me of another song and another time. That’s gone. It’s done now. Things should always progress.”
This relentlessly forward-thinking approach is reflected in James’s enduring love of dance music. He evem currently runs a club night at London’s Plastic People called “1-800-Dinosaur”. “I feel at home in clubs,” admits James. “Dance music constantly mutates and evolves and never stays still.”
James’s newfound confidence and thirst for change has produced a second album that takes him to a new level of craft and feeling that his previous work only hinted at. “These last two years have really formed me,” he concludes. “I have huge ambitions.”
It all comes back to that conversation about permanence at the Troubadour. The message of Overgrown is clear. James Blake is here to stay.
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Buzz Bands LA on James Blake
about 1 month agoWho: James Blake in the Mojave Tent In 3 or Fewer Words: Yawn. Not memorable because: Wearing a plain gray T-shirt at his keyboard, James Blake looked like that shy skinny boy who stared at you in class but never asked you out. And if you ask me, a man who doesn't have a pair to do that won't be doing anything special for you anytime soon. Now I don't actually know if Blake has been a wallflower or a ladies man, but I'm sure his current popularity status has bolstered his self-esteem either more here
Buzz Bands LA on James Blake
about 1 month agoBy Julia Betley "I don't want to be a star, but a stone on the shore" James Blake sang as he opened his performance at KCRW's Berkeley Street Sessions with the title track of his sophomore release "Overgrown." It didn't take long at intimate showcase at Bob Clearmountain's Apogee Studio in Santa Monica for Blake to warm the crowd. Having just played a sunset set at Coachella the day before, Blake joked that the dust storm that descended upon the Indio crowd "descended upon his throat." But there were no more here
KCRW's Jason Bentley on James Blake
about 1 month agoPlayed "Digital Lion" 03/28/2013 9:39 am
Pitchfork Best New Tracks on James Blake
7 months agoJames Blake: "The Wilhelm Scream"
When a character called Wilhelm is shot in the thigh with an arrow in the 1953 western The Charge at Feather River , you hear a strangled-yelp sound effect now known as the Wilhelm Scream . Since that film, it's become a Hollywood inside joke, used over and over to soundtrack men getting shot, stabbed, and falling from substantial heights in everything from Star Wars to Toy Story to Howard the Duck . At this point, it's little more than a trivia question. James Blake 's "The Wilhelm Scream" does not contain the Wilhelm Scream. It's not a joke for those in the know. In fact, the song is one of the most universal moments of his brief-yet-impressive career thus far. After hinting at his beacon of a blue-eyed croon over the course of several minimal, eclectic, and-- above all else-- unique electronic EPs, he went..... [from James Blake ; out 02/07/11 via Atlas / A&M ]
more at pitchfork.comPitchfork Best New Tracks on James Blake
7 months agoJames Blake: "Lindisfarne"
"Lindisfarne" is the meditational centerpiece to James Blake 's still-stunning debut full-length , and on the album it appears in two parts. While the first section's yawning gaps are easy to get lost in, it's also tempting to skip ahead and get straight to "Lindisfarne II"'s meaty, soulful repetition. Ultimately, though, they work perfectly together, which is why the edit that combines them for Blake's forthcoming single works. It's not a second too long to feel like a single, but it also retains the quiet magic of the originals. Amidst the clicks and acoustic pops of "Lindisfarne", there is Blake's voice, wrapped in....[from "Unluck" b/w "Lindisfarne", out 06/20/11 via Atlas/A&M]
more at pitchfork.comPitchfork Best New Tracks on James Blake
7 months agoJames Blake: "Love What Happened Here"
For a guy who works with warped bass and abused vocal lines, James Blake remained a constant presence throughout 2011. The constant tumble of praise and media attention, coupled with his more straightforward self-titled debut album , made it easy to forget about the mind-bending sonic abstractions of the earlier The Bells Sketch and Klavierwerke EPs. Blake is prolific by nature, so the fact that he's putting out another EP before 2011's end, Love What Happened Here , isn't much of a surprise; the title track of said EP, however, is a wonder in that it gives us a reminder of.... [from the Love What Happened Here EP; out now digitally and in 2012 on vinyl via R&S ]
more at pitchfork.comQuit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoOff the producer's debut album James Blake - Out February 7 more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoEvery year, I seem to always get into a kind of post-new year rut after all the excitement settles - I still write last year's date on papers, make resolutions I forget about at the first sign of real stress, and am effectively comatose after digesting the binge of music, movies, people that seem to come from all directions with the conclusion of every year. It's not until something comes along, as it always does, that doesn't already have a context, that's not associated with any year but the present, that i start to really settle into the new year. more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoNo text more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoTweet I'm always interested in the songs artists leave off of albums, something fascinating about the decisions we almost make. Whereas the album is focused on the internal, "Tep and the Logic" gently hints at a world that exists outside of ourselves. The album settles and unsettles within the mind, and any external environment is mostly inconsequential. Here, played after it, he takes a step outside the room, just to make sure everything's still there. It's definitely worth a listen, especially for more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoTweet The year 2011 is officially a James Blakeathon, and I don't hate it. The musical wunderkind was on BBC radio this week to talk about his debut album and performed a cover of Joni Mitchell's Blue classic "A Case of You", a bold undertaking for anyone. Covers are tricky - the best of its kind do more than wallow in the safety of familiarity; they illuminate and refocus, aren't rehearsed, but felt - forcing you to subsequently hear the more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoTweet Here's James Blake's hovering one-two punch "Lindisfarne" parts 1 and 2 from his self-titled debut , live from a SXSW session in Austin last month. One of the more secluded moments from the already private album, it's good to see its headphone-intimacy translate so well to his live show, especially once he hits his "beacon don't fly to high" groove about halfway through. Dang, we've got to figure out a way to see him in that damn more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoJames Blake's video for newly-compacted single "Lindisfarne I & II", where they play a weird version of King's Cup and share things with each other - enjoy! more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoThe Truman Show did quite a number on my ten year-old self, as I unknowingly sat through the ahead-of-its-time, heavy philosophical musing on faith and reality with my best friend, when we expected something a little bit closer to Liar, Liar . Excuse the roundabout explanation, but it's probably clear by now that I enjoy most things James Blake and Bon Iver so my first thought when I heard the collaboration of James Blake and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver was literally "Is this too good to be true?" In other words, as Bear more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
7 months agoWe gushed over James Blake's cover of Joni Mitchell's heartbreaker "A Case of You" early in the year, but now we have the accompany video to the song featuring the very, very intriguing Rebecca Hall of Vicky Cristina Barcelona and last year's The Town . It opens in bed, at gaze, through sunlight. A moment that feels so safe in what you have that just as soon turns to night, as the warm, kitschy red lights that you grew to love fade into mornings that came and went without enough notice. It flashes through a more here
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
8 months agoOff the producer's debut album James Blake - Out February 7 more at elbo.ws
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
8 months agoEvery year, I seem to always get into a kind of post-new year rut after all the excitement settles - I still write last year's date on papers, make resolutions I forget about at the first sign of real stress, and am effectively comatose after digesting the binge of music, movies, people that seem to come from all directions with the conclusion of every year. It's not until something comes along, as it always does, that doesn't already have a context, that's not associated with any year but the present, that i start to really settle into the new year. more at elbo.ws
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
8 months agoNo text more at elbo.ws
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
8 months agoTweet I'm always interested in the songs artists leave off of albums, something fascinating about the decisions we almost make. Whereas the album is focused on the internal, "Tep and the Logic" gently hints at a world that exists outside of ourselves. The album settles and unsettles within the mind, and any external environment is mostly inconsequential. Here, played after it, he takes a step outside the room, just to make sure everything's still there. It's definitely worth a listen, especially for more at elbo.ws
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
8 months agoTweet The year 2011 is officially a James Blakeathon, and I don't hate it. The musical wunderkind was on BBC radio this week to talk about his debut album and performed a cover of Joni Mitchell's Blue classic "A Case of You", a bold undertaking for anyone. Covers are tricky - the best of its kind do more than wallow in the safety of familiarity; they illuminate and refocus, aren't rehearsed, but felt - forcing you to subsequently hear the more at elbo.ws
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
8 months agoTweet Here's James Blake's hovering one-two punch "Lindisfarne" parts 1 and 2 from his self-titled debut , live from a SXSW session in Austin last month. One of the more secluded moments from the already private album, it's good to see its headphone-intimacy translate so well to his live show, especially once he hits his "beacon don't fly to high" groove about halfway through. Dang, we've got to figure out a way to see him in that damn more at elbo.ws
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
8 months agoJames Blake's video for newly-compacted single "Lindisfarne I & II", where they play a weird version of King's Cup and share things with each other - enjoy! more at elbo.ws
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
9 months agoThe Truman Show did quite a number on my ten year-old self, as I unknowingly sat through the ahead-of-its-time, heavy philosophical musing on faith and reality with my best friend, when we expected something a little bit closer to Liar, Liar . Excuse the roundabout explanation, but it's probably clear by now that I enjoy most things James Blake and Bon Iver so my first thought when I heard the collaboration of James Blake and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver was literally "Is this too good to be true?" In other words, as Bear more at elbo.ws
Quit Mumbling on James Blake
9 months agoWe gushed over James Blake's cover of Joni Mitchell's heartbreaker "A Case of You" early in the year, but now we have the accompany video to the song featuring the very, very intriguing Rebecca Hall of Vicky Cristina Barcelona and last year's The Town . It opens in bed, at gaze, through sunlight. A moment that feels so safe in what you have that just as soon turns to night, as the warm, kitschy red lights that you grew to love fade into mornings that came and went without enough notice. It flashes through a more at elbo.ws
Pitchfork Best Albums on James Blake
9 months agoAlbum "CMYK EP" scored 8.3
The prodigious London electronic producer, still only 21, crafts intricate music that's both deeply retro and futuristic. His style is already recognizable: progressions of thick soul and jazz chord...
more at pitchfork.com