James Blake: Self-Titled Album Review

This debut is absolutely haunting. For a 22 year old guy, it’s nothing short of brilliant. From the hypnotic, sometimes-jarring-always-epic bass beats, to the more soulful bass lines and hollow claps, all behind soulful vocals. At times his vocals may seem too processed – the pitch-bending, reverb, distortion, but I can’t hate on any of it. The album feels perfectly unpolished. It’s not overproduced – it has charm. It’s definitely not accessible by mainstream standards, except the fantastic Feist cover Limit To Your Love. One can’t help but to compare James’ vocals on Lindesfarne II to Bon Iver. Also, I’m reminded of Antony Hegarty in the higher falsetto vocal passages – like Give Me A Month.

James Blake takes everything I love about soul music and mixes it with everything I love in ambient, melody-driven electronic music. He knows when to let his voice shine and when to leave it understated. The lyrics he’s chosen are, at times, seemingly more personal due to their repetition. They demand attention and often act like an accompanying instrument. I have to note the diversity too. He switches up his vocal approaches frequently, and one style never stays too long. There is nothing profound about the album. It’s just damn good.

In the past week or so I’ve listened to this album repeatedly, perhaps 50-plus times and counting. I love this album. I’ll leave it as simple as that.

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