Release date: September 3, 2023

Genre: Electronic

From: UK

Label: Republic and Polydor Records

Why you should listen: If you prefer CMYK / debut album-era James Blake, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. One of the punchiest, experimental and tribal albums since that masterful debut album 12 years ago. Playing Robots Into Heaven is full of memorable moments, combining his gorgeous voice through more melodic moments with hard-hitting and pulsating beats. The energy of this album is infectious, and “Tell Me” represents that duality in styles perfectly. James’ voice is warm and inviting, as it crosses paths with a wave of incredible synths and hard-hitting beats. “Fall Back” is an exceptional moment, with hard-hitting and club-like energy, with vocals being looped and intertwined with the instrumental. The opener “Asking To Break” sets the tone perfectly, with James Blake’s incredible voice floating over these effortless piano keys, synths and beats throughout. The vocal soul sample on “He’s Been Wonderful” eventually makes way for some heavy bass drops and and trap-inspired rhythms, as well as some distortion. “Big Hammer” is the bass-heavy single, with an insanely good music video I watched minutes before writing this. The infectious bass-led groove is incredible, and the way those dancehall vocals come in and add to the energy is just perfect. The post-dubstep tone of “I Want You To Know” is great, with an interpretation of Pharrell, Charlie Wilson and Snoop’s “Beautiful” fitting perfectly with the dynamic beat. “Night Sky” is interesting, an off-tempo synth-heavy atmospheric track, while “Fire The Editor” and “If You Can Hear Me” are both more melodic cuts. The former is more dynamic, while the letter is a stripped-back ballad, and it’s powerful. “Playing Robots Into Heaven” ends the album with a reflective, synth-heavy instrumental. It’s an excellent album, and a return to form for James Blake. This feels and sounds like it comes so naturally to him, really knocking all my expectations out of the park.

The album: