Producer and singer-songwriter James Blake has released a new four song EP called Before, which is also accompanied by a series of unique visualizers directed by Ryder Ripps for each track. This EP is an homage to his London club roots, which sees him take his experimental style straight to the dancefloor.
Blake’s first EP’s were in the realm of post-dubstep, experimental songs that utilized elements of dubstep such as their bass infused drops with eclectic samples and progressions. He eventually explored realms of R&B and alternative pop on his latter projects, which also saw him collaborate with rappers such as Vince Staples, Chance The Rapper and RZA.
His last studio album Assume Form, featured the likes of Andre 3000, Travis Scott, Rosalia and Moses Sumney. This album was a stark departure from the more moody and melancholic atmosphere featured in his previous studio album releases The Colour In Anything and Overgrown, as he ventured into a more optimistic hip hop-oriented sound.
“I honestly didn’t care. I’d rather be happy than good at music,” Blake explained in an interview with The Fader. “The proof is in the album I made. I made the album during and after feeling better — doing all that work for three or four years, pretty much every day. That’s all I was focusing on, and in between I made music.”
The artist continued to release singles following this project with “Mulholland,” and “You’re Too Precious.” He also produced new Flatbush Zombies single called “Afterlife.”
Check out the EP below:
Before track list
1. I Keep Calling
2. Before
3. Do You Ever?
4. Summer Of Now
Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz
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