While it may not be Beatlemania, an unbelievable amount of hype has surrounded British electronic composer James Blake over the last year or so. A lot of that is a credit to his impressive work ethic: Blake put out three EPs on vinyl in 2010 alone. He's finally ready to put out a full-length album - scheduled for release on February 7th - and the world wide internet tubes have been jammed with Blake's new material and a couple of awesome videos for lead single "Wilhelm Scream."
I've gone ahead and posted both studio and live videos for the track because I think they both bring something different to our understanding of the song. The studio version, with its minimalist beat and Blake looking right into the camera, reminds me of D'Angelo with a little less melanin and a lot more clothing. The hazy cinematography, which becomes fuzzier as the song progresses, mirrors the singer's own confusion as reflected in the lyrics and the increasingly complex musical effects he uses.
I love this live video from Blake's set at BBC Radio 1. The first thing that I find so appealing is that we don't usually experience music like this in a live setting. Blake is really an electronic artist, and while electronic artists obviously have live shows, it's unusual for a live electronic performance to hew as closely to the studio version as this one does. The video also gives a great look at the syncopated drumming, especially on the snare, which is what gives this track its uniquely unsettled rhythm.
This is good stuff. Now normally I don't purchase British goods, because I still believe Pakenham cheated us out of what was rightfully ours in 1846 (fifty-four forty or fight!). But I think I'll make an exception in this case - Blake's self-titled LP promises to be one of the most creative and listenable albums of early 2011. Jolly good indeed.
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