The Colour in Anything
| The Colour in Anything | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by James Blake | ||||
| Released | 6 May 2016 | |||
| Studio |
London, UK Shangri La Studios, Malibu, CA | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 76:13 | |||
| Label | Polydor, 1-800 Dinosaur | |||
| Producer | James Blake, Rick Rubin | |||
| James Blake chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Colour in Anything | ||||
The Colour in Anything is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter and producer James Blake, released on 6 May 2016 on Polydor Records. It serves as the follow-up to his Mercury Prize-winning 2013 album Overgrown. It features contributions from Justin Vernon and Frank Ocean, and additional production work by Rick Rubin.
Background and recording
In November 2014, Blake announced that his third album was "seventy percent done" and would be released in "about five months."[6] In January 2015, he announced the album title Radio Silence.[7] He later stated that the album would feature Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) and Kanye West, as well as guitar work from Connan Mockasin.[8] In a May 2016 interview with BBC Radio 1, Blake stated that he began work on the album in England, and after "running out of steam" went to America to complete the recording at Shangri La Studios with producer Rick Rubin.[9]
Blake reportedly "explored sitting at the piano and singing a lot more" during the album's conception, and developed a desire "to work with other people on my own projects" in an attempt to relinquish some control over his own work.[10] Discussing the tone of the album in contrast to his previous work, he stated that "I realized that [when it comes to making music], it wasn't important whether I was happy or sad—it's about sensitivity and your reaction to the world. I wouldn't want to be one of those artists that keeps themselves in a perpetual cycle of anxiety and depression just to extract music from that."[10]
Recording involved writing contributions from Justin Vernon and singer Frank Ocean, the latter described by Blake as "a huge inspiration for this record."[10] Regarding Kanye West's absence from the project, Blake clarified that "I wanted Kanye to be on the song "Timeless," but the verse didn’t materialize. I think a huge swath of things happened in his life, and I just stayed out of it."[10] During this period, Blake also worked with singer Beyoncé on her 2016 album Lemonade, contributing to two tracks.[10]
Promotion and release
On February 11, 2016, Blake premiered a new song entitled "Modern Soul" during his BBC Radio 1 residency.[11] On April 14, 2016, he premiered a new song titled "Timeless," and announced the completion of an album featuring 18 tracks.[12]
On April 28, social media posts by Blake and his label, 1-800 Dinosaur, reposted photos of a mural by children's novel illustrator Sir Quentin Blake (best known for his work with writer Roald Dahl) that hinted at the new album title The Colour in Anything;[13] these were confirmed as the new title and artwork of his album several days later.[14] The murals were displayed in London and Brooklyn. On May 5, Blake unexpectedly announced that the album would be released at midnight.[9]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Radio Silence" | James Blake | 4:00 |
| 2. | "Points" | Blake | 3:31 |
| 3. | "Love Me in Whatever Way" | Blake | 5:03 |
| 4. | "Timeless" | Blake | 4:22 |
| 5. | "f.o.r.e.v.e.r." | Blake | 2:40 |
| 6. | "Put That Away and Talk to Me" | Blake | 3:57 |
| 7. | "I Hope My Life (1-800 mix)" | Blake | 5:40 |
| 8. | "Waves Know Shores" | Blake | 2:55 |
| 9. | "My Willing Heart" | Blake, Frank Ocean | 4:02 |
| 10. | "Choose Me" | Blake | 5:38 |
| 11. | "I Need a Forest Fire" (featuring Bon Iver) | Blake, Justin Vernon | 4:17 |
| 12. | "Noise Above Our Heads" | Blake | 5:03 |
| 13. | "The Colour in Anything" | Blake | 3:33 |
| 14. | "Two Men Down" | Blake | 6:01 |
| 15. | "Modern Soul" | Blake | 5:32 |
| 16. | "Always" | Blake, Ocean | 5:04 |
| 17. | "Meet You in the Maze" | Blake, Vernon | 4:55 |
Total length: |
76:13 | ||
References
- ↑ "James Blake Shares "Modern Soul"". Pitchfork. 2016-02-11. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ↑ "James Blake announces album completion"". FACT magazine. 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
- ↑ https://play.spotify.com/album/1l1HtS1J4bUrXLDu5DopsL
- ↑ https://play.spotify.com/album/3lNTOqOADRbgHwy3fqnDGM
- ↑ https://play.spotify.com/album/07hmu28zzgXybHfpQeb0iY
- ↑ "James Blake says new album out in about five months". Pitchfork. 2014-11-23. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
- ↑ "James Blake announces new album title". Pitchfork. 2015-01-13. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
- ↑ James Blake Says Kanye West and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon Will Appear on His New Album
- 1 2 Lobenfield, Claire. "James Blake’s The Colour in Anything will be released tonight". Fact. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Maloney, Devon. "James Blake and the Pursuit of Happiness". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- ↑ "James Blake Shares "Modern Soul"". Pitchfork. 2016-02-11. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ↑ "James Blake announces album completion"". FACT magazine. 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
- ↑ Bowe, Miles. James Blake Hints at New Album Title and Artwork. Fact. 28 April 2016.
- ↑ Bowe, Miles. "James Blake’s confirms next album title, debuts new artwork on billboard". Fact. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
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