James Blake has announced a new album, ‘Trying Times’, and released the first single, ‘Death of Love’. Listen below.
READ MORE: James Blake live in London: hometown hero celebrates longevity with a career-spanning set
The new album marks the first from the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and electronic producer since 2023’s ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’, although he did put out the collaborative record ‘Bad Cameo’ with Lil Yachty in 2024, as well as his ‘CMYK 002’ EP in the same year.
‘Trying Times’ is Blake’s first independent studio album, which will arrive two years after he parted ways with Republic Records. It’s due for release on March 13 via Good Boy Records, and is available to pre-order/pre-save here.
The first taste of the record comes in the form of the striking lead single ‘Death of Love’, which features the London Welsh Male Voice Choir. Blake has also shared a live music video for the track, which places the singers in a stark, contrasting office backdrop.
News of the LP comes after Blake began teasing new music earlier this month, posting a mysterious video on his Instagram page, under the title, “I think we might be sleeping”.
It came with a 30-second clip of Blake sitting in a recording studio listening to an apparently new song, in which soulful, chopped vocals sing that phrase alongside a gentle beat, all underpinned by eerie, foreboding choral voices.
‘Trying Times’ features contributions from Dave and Los Angeles-based vocalist Monica Martin. Per a press release, Blake says the album is a commentary on the relentlessness of modern life. Check out the tracklist and album cover below.
The ‘Trying Times’ tracklist is:
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 ‘Doesn’t Just Happen’ [ft. Dave]
8 ‘Obsession’
9 ‘Rest of Your Life’
10 ‘Through the High Wire’
11 ‘Feel It Again’
12 ‘Just a Little Higher’
Last year, Blake surprised audiences when he played piano on Saturday Night Live to accompany Timothee Chalamet’s performance of Bob Dylan’s ‘Three Angels’, in promotion of A Complete Unknown.
He went on to play at London’s Field Day last summer, as well as Brian Eno’s ‘Together For Palestine’ show at Wembley in September, and the Choose Love 10th anniversary show in November.
Blake also spoke out in defence of Coldplay last year, saying: “Coldplay bashing has got to stop. It’s not cool anymore! It’s not cool anymore to just be like ‘Coldplay’s not cool.’ Just fuck off,” he said. “There are so many amazing Coldplay songs. And Chris Martin is clearly a melodic genius.”
NME awarded ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’ four stars in 2023, writing: “The album’s closing third, contrastingly, hones in on Blake’s raw and reflective side. Atop ‘Fire The Editor’s atmospheric soundscape and twinkling keys, he demonstrates real emotional growth, analysing how he’s overcome a fear of failure: “If I see him again, best believe me, we’ll be having words.” Closer ‘If You Can Hear Me (Ad Astra)’, built on a melancholic piano line, is one of Blake’s most affecting songs to date. As it moves into a cinematic, Interstellar-style arrangement, the album ends as per its title, as ominous waves of sound move skywards.”
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