James Blake is a British electronic composer from London, UK. James began his final year at Goldsmiths in September 2009 studying popular music while recording songs in his bedroom. Blake attended The Latymer School and released his debut 12' 'Air and Lack Thereof' on Hemlock Audio in July 2009. It was a firm favourite with Gilles Peterson from BBC Radio 1. James was invited ...to do a special mix on Gilles Peterson's worldwide show which included an exclusive Mount Kimbie track.
CMYK was released on R&S Records in 2010 and Nick Grimshaw chose it as his Record of the Week. It was also played by various BBC Radio 1 DJs . On 29 September 2010, Zane Lowe made Blake's cover of'Limit To Your Love' by Feist his'Hottest Record in the World'. On 6 December 2010, the BBC announced that Blake had been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2011 poll. On 15 December 2010, Blake made the runner up behind Jessie J at the Critics' Choice for the Brit Awards 2011.
Blake's work found itself on numerous 2010 year-end best-of lists, with'CMYK' ranking 24th on Frontier Psychiatrist's top 40 songs of the year and the Bells Sketch/CMYK/Klavierwerke EPs ranking 8th on Pitchfork's top 50 albums of 2010.
'The sit-down duo's guitars give some folk-rock leanings to their combination of skittering beats, choice samples and soaring vocals, recalling Mogwai's more restrained moments, Thom Yorke's"The Eraser" and Darkstar. ' - godisinthetvzine
'the high, operatic vocals and combination of modern equipment and wooing guitars holds the still-building crowd's gaze like a frozen moment. ' - dontpaniconline
'sort of like a more concise Godspeed You! Black Emperor with a drum machine and a singer' - thisisfakedi
WEDNESDAY 23RD FEBRUARY
THEKLA
The Grove, Bristol
Doors 7.30pm
Ages 18+
SOLD OUT
AFTER THE SHOW...
Featuring HYETAL / EFA / FERRYMAN + SPECIAL GUEST TBA