The return of James Blake

The return of James Blake

ByJohn

James Blake’s return is officialwith the announcement of a new album, “Trying times“, and the release of the single that introduces it, “Death of loveThe musician thus returns to the recording scene after a busy but fragmented period, made up of deviations, collaborations and different formats, and which is now recomposed in the most classic and definitive form of the studio album.

The new project in fact marks the first study work of the singer-songwriter and producer from 2023the year of “Playing robots into heaven” and the related tour that started in Italy (here is our story). The following year Blake released a collaborative album, “Bad cameo” with Lil Yachty, and an EP, entitled “CMYK 002”, taking the name of the label from him. “Trying times” scores more, however a symbolic return in the artistic trajectory of the musician, being the first studio album released independentlytwo years after leaving Polydor Records.

Together with the preview provided by “Death of love”, accompanied by a live video directed by the creative duo Harrison & Adair and shot with the London Welsh Men’s Choir, against the essential backdrop of an office, the album is presented as follows in a press release: “The album moves along the lines of pressure of modern lifewhere the sense of overwhelm becomes both theme and atmosphere. The result is a work suspended between hope and anxiety. It navigates the comfort of loving and being loved, while recognizing how fragile this security can appear when global anxieties and personal doubts pull in opposite directions.” It is therefore a theme that is intertwined with the collaborations present on the albumincluding those with Dave and singer Monica Martin, and what it seems bring James Blake back to the center of his territory more recognizable, that of a writing that uses electronics as an emotional languagenot as simple aesthetics.

Blake’s return was announced more cryptically at the beginning of the month, through a short video published on social media and entitled “I think we might be sleeping”, which showed a few seconds in the studio, with a new track in the background characterized by broken vocals and soul supported by disturbing choirs. The announcement of “Trying times” also follows the creation of the song “Seance” with Ludwig Göransson for the soundtrack of the film “Sinners”, the film that made history yesterday with 16 nominations for the 2026 Oscars.

Here is the tracklist:
1. Walk Out Music
2. Death Of Love
3. I Had A Dream She Took My Hand
4. Trying Times
5. Make Something Up
6. Didn’t Come To Argue (ft. Monica Martin)
7. Days Go By
8. Doesn’t Just Happen (ft. Dave)
9. Obsession
10. Rest Of Your Life
11. Through The High Wire
12. Feel It Again
13. Just A Little Higher

John
John

With an untamed passion and deep, eclectic knowledge of music, John is the soul of RadioWise UK. Having worked in the music industry for over two decades, his vision was to create a platform that embodies the love and respect for music. John is known for his great attention to detail and insatiable thirst for discovering new talents and music genres.