James Blake Can Do Anything: Interview

What was your headspace like while making the music on Before?

For that EP, I was actually in lockdown. We’d heard some rumors about this virus and we were already at Electric Lady studio in New York. It became a topic of conversation in the studio, like, “Should we be worried? Should we be scared? Should we stop going out?” And eventually, we did, when they were explaining how serious it was. Then we just locked down in the studio. It became a sort of bunker in a way, where there was nothing else to do apart from make music and eat. So we just did that, and it turned into this EP. Then I got on the last flight back to L.A. before they shut the travel down. So at home, we basically ended up just watching disaster movies every night for the next two months, because it felt like that was the only way to externalize what was going on. [Laughs].

Did you set a goal or challenge for yourself while making these songs?

Yeah, the challenge for the Before EP was to sit comfortably on dance music and sit comfortably on uptempo music. And actually, it came relatively easily and I was really grateful for that. And then on the next EP, the challenge is to strip it all back and kind of provide a through line from all the times I’ve performed on IG Live this year at the piano, and just allow it to come into some kind of actualization as a project.

How did the shift back to dance music happen? Was there a specific song you made where you’re like, “Oh shit, this is all I want to do right now”?

Yeah, there was. It was “Do You Ever.” And then I became addicted to the sound of slightly more uptempo songs, and I was fascinated by how I fit into that. It was an open door that I didn’t realize was ever going to be opened. And actually, Dom Maker helped me open that door. It was like a growth spurt.

People are stuck at home and consuming music differently than they ever have before. How do you picture people listening to the music you’re making right now?

I did a Boiler Room set, and I know a lot of people were putting it on and having little mini parties with the people they were quarantining with, which was cool. But I don’t really know. There is a sense of irony, obviously, about dropping this dancefloor project during quarantine lockdown. But there’s also maybe some kind of escapism in that, too. So I picture people just listening at home, in the kitchen. It doesn’t matter. Sometimes I’ve listened to house music just sitting in my bedroom.

When you’re making music, how much do you think about what the audience wants?

Thinking about what other people want when you’re making music is often counter-productive, even though it seems like a nice thing to do. I think you can assume that music is emotionally therapeutic in most cases, depending on what kind of therapy you need, whether it’s getting out your aggression or being introspective or feeling understood. There are so many ways that that’s the case. But in terms of actually designing music for other people, I feel like whenever I do that, it leads to inauthentic results.

Recently, you said the songs on Before are far less autobiographical than your past releases. Why’d you go that route?

I mean, it’s not entirely un-autobiographical. But some of my favorite dance music is when it’s a relatable premise, so while you’re dancing, you don’t need to think about whether that person’s really going through something. It’s not so introspective in that way. And actually, it’s nice to step out of that for a little bit, because I spend a lot of my career in introspective self-analysis. And that’s actually kind of exhausting for me, and for my brain.

Is there a relationship between the Before EP and the next EP you’re releasing soon? Are they like two sides of a coin?

Yeah. Of course, an obvious question is like: Is it called After? And, no, it’s not called After. I did think about it, though. But yeah, it’s the other side [of the coin].

At the beginning of our conversation, you were talking about pushing yourself to try new things. How would you describe your new direction?

For me, the recent new direction is two-fold. One is to make sure that the songwriting aspect of my music is as tight as it can be and as satisfying as it can be. I’m trying to leave songs that don’t quite do it for me out on the rocks, and just let them go. I’ve been guilty in the past of letting something be on a record even though I didn’t truly, truly, truly love it with my whole self, because I thought maybe it would be the song that people would like. Again, it’s back to making music for other people. Like, “Well, people will like this, and that’s enough.” That’s happened a handful of times, but every time it happens, I’m like, “Agh, why’d I do that?”

I’m trying to be self-disciplined and a little bit brutal about songs. I’m just trying to remain objective, but also including all sides of myself. I’ve got some very abstract tendencies sometimes. There’s sometimes a little bit of deranged, off-kilter production that I included in some of my music, but not all. And I think I want to bring a little bit more of that to this next record, just to allow it to be a more whole listening experience. I don’t know how that’s manifesting just yet, but I love what I’ve got so far, in terms of material.

At this point in your career, do you think people still have any misconceptions about you?

I mean, there’s always going to be misconceptions. There’s always going to be a disconnect from the way you actually are. I don’t do enough video interviews, and that’s probably why. But it’s something I’ve come to accept, and there are some benefits to that. Even though sometimes you can be misunderstood, it’s also protection to not just be out there in your full self all the time. But I don’t think about that too much. It is what it is.

Would you ever consider linking up with one rapper and producing a full project for them?

Absolutely. Yeah. I’d like to do that with Swavay. Who are you thinking?

I don’t have anyone specific in mind. But I am curious who your dream collaborator would be if you were to produce a full rap album for someone.

I mean, André 3000. That would be glorious. In terms of other rappers: Young Thug. I’d love to do that. Barter 6 made me rethink production. It was so satisfying and minimal. It’s fucking amazing. “Constantly Hating” changed the way I thought about production. I listened to that on repeat for about a month. I think it’s one of those interestingly-produced hip-hop tracks ever.

What’s the most important thing you want people to know right now about you?

Considering what’s going on in the world right now, I’m not sure if I’m really important, in the sense that I need people to know more about me. [Laughs]. I’m just excited to give people more music, and to be active again in a way that I haven’t been. For a number of years, I was much more on the back burner. I think this year, I’ve been preparing for letting a lot of music out there and popping my head back up again. So, in terms of what I want people to know about me, I think they’re probably going to find out what it is in the next few months.

James Blake groomed by Robert Lopez and styled by Law Roach.