James Blake, the multiple Grammy award-nominee released a new song called, “Mulholland” which begins with a piano backdrop and female singer repeating lyrics, “They are just now understanding me.” The track blends against a staggered beat and the voice fades out with a long stream. Blake comes in momentarily to drop a line, set against the female vocalist fadeout with piano and beats. The tempo eventually changes pace then fades out with an uptick.
Blake will join the hit tour this summer with JAY-Z’s Made in America Festival alongside Cardi B, Travis Scott on Saturday, Aug 31 – September 1, 2019. The acclaimed artist has released three albums, 2010’s James Blake, 2013’s Overgrown, and 2016’s The Colour in Anything.
Blake also released a video for his song “Barefoot in the Park” featuring superstar Rosalía. The video features what looks like younger versions of Blake and Rosalia involved in a car accident. Now as adults, both walk across the same street that accident took place on and as each singer sings their verse, they watch their life before their eyes. In 2018, Blake teamed up with Kendrick Lamar and Future to record Jay Rock’s song off the Black Panther soundtrack, “Kings Dead,” produced by Mike WiLL Made-It.
Blake also recently shared a cover of Joy Division’s “Atmosphere,” giving fans chills. Blake began performing this cover on his current tour in support of his acclaimed 2019 album, Assume Form. Blake and his band are heard playing a sparse and piano led rendition of the 1980’s post-punk classic.
The artist has won an Ivor Novello award for Best Contemporary Song for “Retrograde,” and received his first Grammy award nomination for Best New Artist, becoming one of the most sought out names in the music industry, contributing songs and production to Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Frank Ocean’s Blonde, and Jay-Z’s 4:44.
Blake responded to critics calling one of his songs, “sad boy music” and said, “We are already in an epidemic of male depression and suicide. We don’t need any further proof that we have hurt men with our questioning of their need to be vulnerable and open. It is only a good thing to talk about what is on your mind.” The lyrics in his song, “The world has shut me out, if I give everything I’ll lose everything. I could avoid going outside, I could avoid wasting my life.”
Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz
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