the first time i heard about james blake, i was cooped up in a scion xb somewhere between california and oregon. the sun was starting to peek its way through a road that seemed to lead nowhere. i was half asleep and my two guy friends were pleading their case for their favorite james blake remix. they were so hyped and i didn't know why, so i went back to sleep.
upon my return, i downloaded a few EPs and understood. blake's own creations teeter on the edge of vulnerability with hints of jittery long nights. you can feel his anticipation through repetitious lyrics, syncopated sneers and the dwelling echo of lonely piano notes. it's a balance of heartache and subtle hope that doesn't need an immediate answer to provide an undercurrent of odd comfort.
check out this three song sample of tracks recorded a few weeks ago at BBC's maida vale studios.
like a map with no ocean,
-t
