"Of all the things you might expect from a James Blake album—exquisite minimalism, plaintive vocal distortion, appearances from hip-hop's great and good—chin-stroking socio-political commentary probably isn't one of them. But as the title suggests, our current predicament is precisely what the 37-year-old aims to address on his seventh solo record."
"Through the High Wire seemingly a repurposing of one of those songs scans as a bold defence of his disgraced former colleague. People love a story, croons Blake, explaining that whispers change until we all fall from glory. Coincidentally, perhaps, you can detect West's influence on Trying Times, too, with its syrupy old-school soul samples and thrillingly abrupt stylistic shifts."
"The hooks are strikingly fresh yet distantly familiar—an addictive combination—and Blake's tendency towards sickliness is halted by all manner of inventive dissonance: Days Go By repurposes Dizzee Rascal's sour grime classic I Luv U; grungy guitars smother Make Something Up; a hauntological Dusty Springfield sample morphs into dancefloor euphoria on Rest of Your Life."
James Blake's seventh solo album Trying Times attempts to address contemporary socio-political issues, departing from his established minimalist aesthetic. While the album features Blake's characteristic ethereal melancholia and vocal distortion, the socio-political commentary feels preachy and banal. The record shows influence from Blake's collaborations with Kanye West, incorporating syrupy old-school soul samples and abrupt stylistic shifts. Despite weak lyrics, the album excels musically with fresh yet familiar hooks and inventive dissonance. Tracks like Days Go By repurpose Dizzee Rascal's grime, Make Something Up features grungy guitars, and Rest of Your Life transforms a Dusty Springfield sample into dancefloor euphoria. The album prioritizes musical quality over meaningful social commentary.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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