James Blake: Overgrown

For his second album, James Blake has decided to do more with less. Gone are most of the traces of the dubstep genes that initially defined him and his debut album. In their stead, Blake has made the songs and not the sounds the focus of attention. And he succeeds because Overgrown is full of strong, sensual, timeless songs about love, life and loneliness. Blake doesn't need electronic bells, whistles or whirrs to convey such emotions when the likes of the title track, Life Round Here and Retrograde are there to lay out his stall in that regard. He also knows how to make the most of guest contributions: Brian Eno helps to set an electro avalanche in motion on Digital Lion, while RZA brings Wu-Tang words to the wise to Take a Fall for Me. Blake is now well and truly following his own star.
jamesblakemusic.com
Download: Retrograde, Take a Fall for Me, Overgrown