15 March 2011

Tuesday Choons

As I've mentioned before, these last few weeks of Uni have been a teensy bit stressful. The adrenaline of all this essay writing and dissertation malarky [you can tell how bothered I am by that] has been keeping me on edge, eyes wide and brain eager to run full pelt towards the next thing on the list.

This eagerness would be great, if it knew when to switch off and let me relax. I've always been an over-worrier, forever preparing things in advance and panicking annoyingly about deadlines weeks in advance. It's just habit. A good one, I guess, until it gets to the stage when I just want to forget about everything and let my mind wander away from anything essay or exam related.


And that's where music comes in. That's not to say I don't depend on it 24 hours a day - certainly not, I'm one of those I-pod/human hybrids whose life depends on having a soundtrack - but just to offer the thought that different kinds of music can shape you in different ways. And for post-stress relaxation, I've taken to breaking out the chocolate, prising open a crisp new magazine, and switching on James Blake's début album.

Before I go on, this chap's music is by no means generic. I'm in no musically expert position to offer it a genre, although honestly I doubt anyone really could. Each track is so different, surreal in the most extreme of senses, and weirdly wonderful.


I can't lie, there are some tracks that I find truly difficult to listen to. They're not horrible, not offensive, just wholly unlike anything I've ever heard, and I suppose that unfamiliarity is what the release of this electronic album is attempting to challenge.

The track that bridges this gap though, between more popular genres and Blake's own creation, is Limit to Your Love, and it has a video too good not to share...


[If that's not your cup of tea, you can listen to Feist's original version here]

It's a stunning work of musical genius. GENIUS I tell you. Hopefully it's a recognisable track due to it's Radio 1 following a while back. I've heard through the grapevine that he's rumoured to be playing at Glastonbury, and I'm excited to see how the live versions of such heavily produced songs will turn out.

I guess at the end of it all, James Blake is a bit like musical Marmite. Although in both cases I've always been the awkward one to sit on the fence between love and hate. Either way, I'll definitely be adding him to the relaxing play-list... just as soon as I can justify more of those gloriously selfish evenings of chocolate, Elle and I-tunes. Bliss.


12 comments:

Mo said...

I love James Blake. such a nice post.
Also, I am exactly the same. Over worry and stress about everything. But it is good to be organized. Hope you feel better about things soon.
xx

Sherin said...

I heard Limit to your Love a while back and fell in love. It was on non stop on my spotify. James blake is so talented. I definitely love him.
Will give the album a listen as well.

Emma said...

played this over and over! love x

Felicia said...

oh i love it!

Sonia said...

James Blake's songs are like crazy but really, really good, I seriously love Limit To Your Love so much!
And I overthink and worry about everything too, but i actually am one of those Ipod/human hybrids haha x

daisychain said...

LOVE
and he's rather easy on the eye. I need to expand my musical horizons, I've been listening to my brother's band for toooo long now.

Tat said...

I LOVE this. New obsession? I think so.

TIRED MARGOT said...

love him
cute blog








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Inez said...

adorable!!!
XX I.

http://ifashionjournal.blogspot.com/

Alex said...

I adore James Blake. I downloaded his album a few weeks back and loved it instantly :) Limit To Your Love with really bassy headphones is amaaaazing!
xxx

courtzmelv said...

What a lovely post, he's got a nice voice and he's major eyecandy too! xx

Marie-Renée said...

oh I lovee james blake (:
& thank you so much dear!
I really hate all these things I have to do now, but I will just have to do them..

xx