As the title might suggest to those who know a bit of German, James Blake’s latest EP is a collection of primarily piano based music, though anyone who has followed his career over the past year or so would guess that this would be nothing like any piano music you’ve ever heard. In fact, this probably isn’t like any music you’ve ever heard, piano or otherwise
Released a month ago, but only now beginning to find popularity on the blogosphere, Blake’s latest creation bears only a slight resemblance to his previous material. Sure, it’s still primarily based on samples, but these are of his own creation, rather than the stuff nicked from trashy 90s r&b singles that littered his earlier releases. Perhaps he didn’t want to run the risk of being sued anymore.
Still, the most important thing about this EP is not what has been put in, but what has been left out; the sounds he uses are given plenty of space to breathe, serving to increase the impact of each individual note or tone. The vocal samples are mere snippets, short cries with a tinge of yearning, similar in feel to those of Mount Kimbie or Burial.
Whilst Blake may draw these comparisons, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone else making tunes quite like this at the moment. Let us hope that he continues producing more beautifully eerie music; if his excellent new cover of Feist’s “Limit to Your Love” (the first single from his forthcoming album) is anything to go by, he certainly will.
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