Chopping Block: James Blake

James Blake
James Blake
R&S Records

Verdict 1: ‘A spine tingling example of the direction in which pop music should be moving.’
4 stars
Sophie Donovan

Beguiled by the exciting experimental EPs released in the last few years by the Goldsmiths alumnus, critics found it hard not to tip James Blake for greatness in 2011. However, his unfortunate involvement in the BBC’s ‘Sound of 2011’ poll saw his name become a buzzword for ‘trendy’ radio presenters to prove their interest in electronic producers and endangered him in becoming over-exposed baloney in the eyes of previous fans. Lucky, then, that he reassured these haters with a spine tingling example of the direction in which pop music is, and should be, moving with his self titled debut album.

Whilst having sampled his own vocals before, this release sees Blake move away from the use of the dulcet tones of iconic 90s RnB favourites, such as Kelis and Aaliyah, and become an all-singing all-pianoing one-man show. If you’re concerned that this means farewell to rimshots, handclaps, snaps and snares then never fear, they remain as he continues to display the skill of production which sparked such interest in his EPs. Opener ‘Unluck’ showcases his honeyed, soulful voice as it saws over eruptions of beats and melodic piano chords skate below.  While, tracks such as ‘To Care (Like You)’ and ‘I Never Learnt to Share’ demonstrate how to escape the singer-songwriter label through his use of electronic effects and push the record into a grey area between genres resulting in an enthralling yet challenging listen.

Signed to a major label, a far cry from his first single released on Untold’s independent- Hemlock, the record is sure to secure a vast audience. Let us hope then, that the precision and skill with which this generous debut was crafted doesn’t go unnoticed, that his approach to the production of pop-music is applauded, and that James Blake is remembered for more than coming second to Miley Cyrus’s songwriter in a crap poll.

Verdict 2: ‘Studying popular music at Goldsmith’s may give you the technical know-how but not the charisma.’
2 stars
Phoebe Hurst

James Blake stormed 2011 with a flurry of internet hype and critical praise for his innovations in post-dubstep, described as ‘hard and heavy in a surprising, thoughtful way’ and lauded for the integration of warm vocals into what can often be a sparse genre. Going by the reviews, his debut album seems to have been worth the wait, with the 22-year-old Londoner receiving second place in the BBC Sound of 2011 poll, numerous radio plays and a 9.0 Pitchfork review.

Never being one to doubt the accuracy of Pitchfork Media, I endeavored to put aside my preconceptions about dubstep or overhyped artists and listen to James Blake. There’s no questioning Blake’s musical talent, as a classically trained pianist he knows how to push melodic hooks until they become infectious and expertly weaves the analogue texture of piano chords with cold industrial samples. Similarly, throughout the album his voice flits from the robotic to a kind of strangled Jeff Buckley and ends with a full blown gospel choir on ‘Measurements’, thanks to the mixing of his own and sampled vocals.

But for all this experimentation James Blake still feels like a very thought out album. Although this is no bad thing, the perfectly timed silences seem a little self-satisfied (Blake has admitted to extending ‘the silence slightly, because I was enjoying it so much’) and the over-dramatic lurches from thick drum beats to  bare piano chords stifle any real emotion that could come from ‘Limit To Your Love’. Blake’s background goes some way in explaining his painfully calculated approach to music production (studying popular music at Goldsmith’s may give you the technical know-how but not the charisma).

If the critics are to be believed and James Blake is the pioneer bringing dubstep to the masses, surely he can do it with a few less moody silences and a bit more personality.