Happy Monday! I was honestly starting to get worried about not having enough good new music to work with since the New Year, but the past couple of Fridays haven’t let me down. Today I want to talk to you guys about another album/ artist I am super excited about. I have been waiting on this for a minute and James Blake did not disappoint. This new album Assume Form is definitely something special and I connected with it almost more than expected.
James has been an artist that I have listened to and watched for years. Some of the more recent collaborations grabbed my attention for sure… “King’s Dead” and “Bloody Waters” from the Black Panther Album (done by Kendrick Lamar) and “Stop Trying to be God” from Travis Scott’s AstroWorld album. You guys should absolutely check out his older music, either before listening to this one or vice versa, working your way backward. Understanding the artist and their musical journey is the best part of being a fan (and music blogger), in my opinion.
Check out my other reviews for Black Panther and Astroworld.
Assume Form … A Deep(er) Review
James also sat down to discuss this new album with Apple Music and something he said when describing the title track “Assume Form” definitely struck a chord with me…
“… These slight feelings of repression lead to this feeling of I’m not in my body, I’m not really experiencing life through first-person. It’s like I’m looking at it from above. Which is a phenomenon a lot of people describe when they talk about depression…” (via Apple Music)
Reading that was so crazy to me because I’ve recently had conversations with those closest to me about life just not seeming real. It’s like I’ve been having these “out of body” experiences. I still don’t quite understand why it’s been like that for me. Anxiety and depression still haunt me at times but I guess I haven’t fully dealt with it as of late because I have so much that I feel I need to do so I don’t have time to face it the way I should, you know?
He also goes into more detail in regards to where he is in his life, his mental health, his music, and the stigma behind being labeled the “sad boy”. Check out his interview with Dazed magazine here.
And just so you guys know, I am having a hard time to pick my favorites from this album. There’s something to love in each and every song. But I will say that “Where’s the Catch?” with that Andre 3000 feature is the dopest thing I have heard in a while (still waiting on that album 3 stacks but appreciate you coming out to bless this song ). This record is just so different. It’s a mix of Electronic, Alternative R&B, with some subtle Pop and Hip Hop elements.
To purchase or check out Apple Music, click here.
Follow Him!
Official: www.jamesblakemusic.com
Twitter & Instagram @jamesblake
