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Recommended by us on 7th October 2010
...according to our Brian on Thu 07 Oct, 2010.
This feller needs no introduction. Picked up by the hallowed R&S, he's amongst a new breed of genre-hopping whizzkids, deftly pulling the most profound strands of disparate club music together to form a fresh 'n' funky style of rhythmical electronica knitted from the barest essentials of techno & dubstep. The style of this particular EP largely errs towards the downtempo & minimal, almost like a strain of this trendy "witch-step" (or whatever the fuck its called) on the title track. Excitable galloping, chinking percussion prevails on the wonderful, airy 'Tell Her Safe' whilst a ghostly blurred vocal sample recalls some of Leyland Kirby's cherished output. All this topped with a whirring free-spirited jazzy keyboard ala Flying Lotus. I love the vocal snippets on this 12", like on the smouldering 'I Only Know...' - they're almost like spectral smears of gospel soul or something, hardly discernible, yet they really add to the sensual stripped-back nature of the music. The concluding track is like a wistful, sleepytime take on 'Wonky" and finishes it all off in true style. This is a late-night classic in the making is this EP, I am so chuffed to have discovered it!
R&S Records return with another amazing single from the UK future bass scene, following the James Blake R&S debut ‘CMYK EP’ (possibly the biggest release of the year) and the awesome Pariah ‘Safehouses’ doublepack. Fact magazine recently quoted the label as having ‘its finger firmly on the pulse’ and ‘proveing that R&S remains a force to reckoned with’ – high praise indeed.
2010 saw James Blake emerge as the leading light in a populated world of forward thinking music, expertly disposing of the commonly used dubstep rule book with the Bell Sketch 12” on Hessle Audio before teaching daytime radio a strict lesson in quality control with his R&S Records debut CMYK EP. The worlds leading tastemakers were beside themselves, showering the internet with praise, whilst in the outer reaches of the blog ether, rumours of James’ songs began to surface. The Klavierwerke EP features the first glimpse of Blakes vocal, albeit cut, pitched and intricately woven into four tracks that offer an insight into James’ futuristic soundscape. Where the R&B sampling CMYK EP aimed at the dancefloor, the Klavierwerke EP finds itself on an insular and abstract plain, in places reminiscent of Burials emotive urban hymms while all the time maintaining the distinct originality that sets James apart from the rest. The title track, a sonic realisation of a recent Berlin escapade pays homage to Berghain, the cavernous HQ of techno, where languid pianos and James’ pitch shifted vocals collide head on with moody low frequencies. I Only Know (What I Know Now) is a contemplative piece where James’ voice is brought to the fore, casting a solemn gaze over his own re-sampled piano to create a contemporary masterpiece. “Don’t You Think I Do” follows a similar path, drawing on a side-chained lead synth and trademark piano. Tell Her Safe rounds off the EP, further affecting the vocal against a high tempo beat. The perfect follow up to the huge CMYK EP and a true representation of what’s around the corner for one of the most exciting artists to emerge in years.
a1 James Blake – Klavierwerke
a2 James Blake – Tell Her Safe
b1 James Blake – I Only Know (What I Know Now)
b2 James Blake – Don’t You Think I Do
...according to kamikaze.
I'm not really sure why, but I've been trying not to admit that I'm a Blake fan. Maybe it's the mountains of hype that accompany each release he puts out, or perhaps the fact that R&S have nabbed him, and I just don't like the way R&S vinyl looks. I'm superficial like that sometimes, but it's that little horse they use as a logo, that looks like the Lloyds TSB horse, it just doesn't look nice on a bit of vinyl. But I realised the other day I've bought (and thoroughly enjoyed) every bit of vinyl he's put out, which is six singles/EPs now, and that I've more than likely kept him in food and fags for a few days as a result of my vinyl habit. Anyway, this new EP, Klaiverwerke, I'd probably cite as the best thing he's put out so far. No dancefloor smashers like CMYK or Sparing The Horses on this one, it's much more of a subtle electroacoustic affair, but I'm well impressed, and I think it's probably time to admit I'm a fan of the lad.
So, what do you think? Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!
Norman Records,
Unit 20, Croydon House,
Croydon Street,
Leeds,
LS11 9RT, UK.
Tel/fax: (+44) 0113 245 4399
Email: phil@normanrecords.com
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