Young British singer, songwriter and producer James Blake was a breakout star with his eponymous 2011 debut of soul infused electronica. The musician’s sophomore effort is just as strong and experimental, further developing the intricate fusion of genres (soul, reggae, trance, pop, r&b, and rap), beats, samples and Blake’s touching vocals. Thematically Overgrown treads on love and longing and longtime influences turn collaborators: the title track stems from a chance encounter with musical inspiration Joni Mitchell, RZA (Wu Tan Clan) joins on “Take A Fall For Me” as does experimental/ambient noise producer and musician Brian Eno on Digital Lion. Overgrown is a fascinating and gorgeous work that is going to take Blake to new levels; if you have never heard Blake before be sure to snap up this stunning album. – Written by SMarx
SIMILAR | Airhead, Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, How to Dress Well, Toro y Moi, The xx