Trying Times by James Blake
#4
at this point in his career, it feels like a guarantee that anything James Blake puts out is likely worth a listen. However, “Trying Times” delivered even more heft than I was expecting. It feels like a very genuine and direct effort from James, particularly since his vocals are made more front-and-center here than they were in the past. This often means that he leans into more traditional pop structures, but his music still sounds as shimmery and alien as ever. I really enjoyed the musical crescendo in “I Had a Dream She Took My Hand.”