James Blake - Overgrown

I was thoroughly dismissive of James Blake's debut. Given the solidity of this follow-up, I feel obliged to make some form of apology. Yet, I cannot deny that I was left wanting a whole lot more when listening to James Blake back in 2011, and when other acts such as Jamie Woon, Bon Iver and Kate Bush were dominating that year with achingly serene and beautiful music, the whole brick-by-brick aesthetic of Blake's approach to composition must have just made me impatient. It was a good starting point, in retrospect, because it's blossomed to produce one of 2013's greatest records.

Since that much-raved about debut, however, Blake has been working hard and building a lot of unusual connections. Much like Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, there's been a slight new investment in the world of hip hop - being spotted working with Kanye West, Trim & RZA in the past year. One of those makes an appearance on Overgrown, and it's a divisive one. Pitchfork called RZA's Take a Fall For Me an "out-and-out failure", whilst the AV club praised its "most straightforward and naked lyricism". Is the rest of the album as daring?

The opening title track single-handedly proves his growth as a composer. A gentle dance beat is built with a persistent lingering sense of menace, and strings creep their way in and rouse all sorts of emotional response. Blake himself though is most commanding: "Time passes and the constants stay", he muses, with regard to his own hype - reportedly the song was inspired by a chat on music with none other than Joni Mitchell, and if there's someone who knows the value of being brilliant years down the line, it's her. "I don't wanna be a star; but a stone on the shore", he acknowledges, hoping his presence in music isn't fleeting. To more romantic preoccupations on 'I Am Sold', where Blake repeats his lines inbetween varying degrees of background noise, as though working out which angle is best to approach from. On 'Life Round Here' he instead opts for a full-on R&B beat from the off, and synths - that could quite comfortably sit in among a Legend of Zelda video game - present to us a new, rather sexualised Blake.

The ante is then upped further with 'Take a Fall for Me', where RZA is found debating between love and lust ("she asked for romance/ I'm deep into her") as Blake's refrain "he can't marry her" pops up like an unwelcome reminder. It's a pretty nice production, but gets a little bogged down in its misery, I feel. By contrast, the first cut from the album, 'Retrograde', sounds euphoric. The cry of "suddenly I'm hit!" - even surrounded by his looped melodic, and vaguely melancholic, croon - just feels empowered. We're back to the gloom soon enough though with the "I'm not good enough for you" whimper 'DLM', a gorgeous, potent and brief little piece that even calls in backing choirs. That's nothing though: 'Digital Lion' has a helping hand from none other than Brian Eno, and it's just as rich, romantic and kinetically-charged as you'd expect.

It still gets weirder: 'Voyeur' is basically a house track. "Her mind is on me", he repeats into oblivion, and the same complaint could be made of said instrumental - much of the album is prized for its sense of soul and emotion, but both are lacking a little here. On the other hand, 'To the Last' ably demonstrates both: Blake's voice is stretched to its limit and gives a great, devotional and personal aspect to the song. Its use of weird, other-worldly snares and clicks also make it stand out, but for the closer 'Our Love Comes Back' it's back to basics and just a piano remains. Gradually, white noise and shuffles come into focus and the track is given his signature weird, haunting beauty, as he admits being plagued by nightmares of a failed relationship.

Sonically, it's such a dramatic improvement on his debut. If you'll forgive me being that guy, there's just so much more going on here. The patience and subtlety required for James Blake is certainly sacrificed here for a richer, more energetic sound.

Rating: 9/10
Highlights: Retrograde; Overgrown; Digital Lion; Our Love Comes Back; I Am Sold
Avoid: n/a

Artwork Watch: It is ironic because there is only one plant! Oh James!
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