James Blake continues to be the strangest pop sensation (pop may be pushing it, folk electronica-pop is more accurate) of the decade. His music is quiet, sparse, and thoughtful; not exactly the realm of Top 40, where artists like Cardi B and Post Malone proliferate. But the British musician remains a huge draw, which is evident on Blake’s latest release, Assume Form.
Featuring collaborations with big names like Travis Scott and André 3000, Blake continues to attract the attention of more mainstream artists; he collaborated with Beyoncé for her Lemonade album, after all. But the songs featuring Scott and André and other collaborators of Assume Form, like Metro Boomin and Rosalía, fit right into Blake’s sleepy, melodic style rather than overtake the sound. Some of the best songs on Assume Form may be the ones where Blake is unaccompanied, though. “Into the Red” features twinkling piano with Blake’s lovelorn voice (“she was the goldrush” he sings repeatedly and mysteriously). Another lovely long song is “Can’t Believe the Way We Flow,” which features a gorgeous Beach Boys vibe.
The whole album is a natural progression of Blake’s earlier albums and cements his status as a trip-hop pioneer in the vein of producer Nellee Hooper and artists like Beth Orton and Massive Attack (all British folks, coincidentally or not). By the end, some of the songs bleed into another and sound a bit too similar to Blake’s earlier music. All 12 songs are worth listening to but he’s at his best when he’s a bit more upbeat, or, to be specific, James Blake’s version of upbeat.
This article is a part of the 2019 FEB / MAR issue of Whole Life Times.