James Blake - The Colour In Anything

James Blake
The Colour In Anything
2016
Spotify

James Blake seems to exist in a universe all his own. Trends, expectations and the like just flow by Blake as he continues to do whatever it is He is going to do. The Colour In Anything is not unexpected, but it is so unique that at first it might be hard to get. Blake has this intense sense of control where he is able to build or destroy a song almost at will. You can hear the suffering He goes through just to bring these songs to life, and it feels heart wrenching both for the listener and the singer. The Colour In Anything unlike anything else pulls the listener in and makes them an active participant even though it seems Blake could be singing to an audience of thousands and not even notice their presence. "Timeless" is the first point where we get an kind of real beat, and is a more dancable version of what He had been doing previously. However at the same time the sound is so different and so new that it is almost as if you appreciate it more than you actually like it. But that sense is only fleeting because as you dive in you realize just how many layers, how much craft and how much raw emotion goes into each one of these tracks. The Colour In Anything feels like you are listening to James Blake for the first time, even if you are totally familiar with him. But the confusing thing is this album is not a reinvention it's more of an evolution into something similar in style but new in application.

The vocals James' employs feel like old school R&B, sad, lonely and filled with the choices of a life lived. However his soulful singing is not over a band it is over this strange almost ambient electronic music that we just have not heard before. This is not a record to be passively appreciated, you really have to get in to it and let whatever creative level James Blake is on just wash over you. However the slow pace does make for a bit of a slog as you listen. There is very little to breakup a very intentional sound, which is if I'm honest is quite dreary. When the pace picks up like on "Choose Me" there is still these utterly haunting backup vocals and twitches that sort of flash into existence then disappear. Really all the songs on here are very good, but at 17 tracks and almost and hour and fifteen minutes of music there clearly could have been some editing to tighten it up. The collaboration with Bon Iver on "I Need a Forest Fire" really is the first time where you can find a groove to hold on to but it still is unexpected and right out of left field. I really find myself torn on this record; on one hand it is so inventive, so slick and so just plain good, but on the other it is slow, a bit standoffish and so beyond the normal musical palate almost to be unapproachable. Those two extremes make for an album that is fully creative yet still has a ton of soul. It is clear that this album will likely effect everyone differently so I can only recommend you go and experience it yourself.

8.9 out of 10