It’s almost easy to forget that James Blake is a purveyor of dubstep, considering how markedly distinct his style of music is compared to the rest of his peers in the same pool. The vast difference is undeniable; while a majority of dubstep artists employ a remarkably dirtier sound with an abundance of 8-bit samples, aggressive bass and grime aplenty, Blake’s post-dubstep style employs a broader selection of tastefully-selected sounds which time and again showcase his expansive knowledge and talent in meshing various worlds of sounds together to produce an auditory knockout.
His final EP of the year 2011, Love What Happened Here, traces back and pays an ode or two to his CMYK days as Blake makes a return to his former label, R&S Records. Noticeably less present in this EP are his ballad tracks and more decipherable style of singing (eg. Blake’s notable covers of Feist’s “Limit To Your Love” and Joni Mitchell’s “A Case Of You”). Instead Blake has returned to the stalwart style that catapulted him to fame, and thankfully so. Incomprehensible vocals tinged with melancholic hues, ambient sounds, frenzied glitches, instrumental R&B and a dash of hip-hop all return to dominate this EP, unlike the Enough Thunder EP.
The signature track, “Love What Happened Here”, welcomes the listener gloriously with blaring organ synths. When you least expect it, in the midst of handclaps, timpani sounds, jazz samples and other assortment of triumphant sounds that leave a breathy stupor to the listener, Blake ambushes you with his fractured vocals. Blake’s vocals here, at most times warbled and far from clear, remain a strangely cathartic pleasure to listen to. Once again, we are reminded of why Blake is so good at what he does. Unlike the tamer and frustratingly lacking in bass “Enough Thunder”, “Love What Happened Here” is exciting, fresh, and weighs heavily on the heart.
It almost appears that the unfamiliarity in sounds and words invokes more to the listener than his ballads and traditional singing do. Blake’s virtuosity rests principally on his skill with bass and beats, and it’s refreshing to see him triumph in this area again, combining a kaleidoscope of new sounds and styles with a wealth of new feelings presented to the listener. Listening to Blake like this, at his effortless best, is invigorating to say the least.
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