James Blake unveils his first release of 2020 with single “You’re Too Precious.” The accompanying video was directed and animated by Orfeo Tagiuri and includes transformative animation which phases through dogs, phones, a man breaking out of prison and more.

The soft song begins with a black spot of animation shifting from a hand, to a tree, to a road, to a bird and more. The animation remains near the center of the frame as it continuously changes, highlighting various imagery throughout. Hums flow throughout the entire track while high-pitched autotune sings “You’re Too Precious.” Blake softly sings “I don’t deserve you/ I don’t think anyone could,” his smooth voice contrasting with the high notes of the humming and piano.

The second half of the video moves to footage of a man in a parachute and a city landscape, the black animation shifting to vibrant colors of white, green, yellow, red and blue. A woman glides towards the bottom of the pool, a girl turns to look over her shoulder while walking down a gravel trail and an elderly couple dance. The track’s soothing sound fits well with its transformative imagery.

The English singer/songwriter/producer has been streaming regularly since the pandemic started, doing performances of original songs and covers as well as a 2-hour production masterclass. Blake has also been teasing new material and unveiled he will be performing a show at the Hollywood Bowl in August which includes an entire orchestra.

“You’re Too Precious” follows Blake’s fourth album Assume Form, which saw the release of singles “Mulholland,” “Barefoot in the Park” and “Can’t Believe The Way We Flow.” He has also done production for Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Frank Ocean and Rosalía.  

Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz