When discussing James Blake he is oft
interlocked with the term innovator and the sold out show at
Manchester's recently opened Gorilla demonstrates how many hold him
in high regard. Although charismatic would not be the right word to
describe Blake, he seems at home and comfortable, although bashful,
on the stage and voices how tonight’s date feels like a homecoming.
The set-list draws heavily from as of yet unreleased material which
continues in the dense piano driven electro from which he has made
his name. The performance exhibits a luscious tapestry of sound with
bass so inviting that it encompasses the body reverberating around
one's rib-cage. Blake shares his stage with two others, Rob McAndrews
providing subtle guitar lines and samples and Ben Assiter sat behind
the kit displaying marvelous mastery over his cymbals filling out
the acoustic drums with electronic patterns and off beat stutters
thrown in. The biggest cheers were reserved for self titled debut
album material but as newer songs broke from Blake's auto-tuned
crooning into high tempo club filling hits inspiring even the most
reserved hipsters to display their finest two-steps. The night came
to a close with an encore ending with perhaps his most well known
song Wilhelm Scream which is truly phenomenal live stirring rapturous
and deserved applause from the crowd. All that is left to be said is
that with performers like James Blake around the standards of
electronic music is raised considerably and hopefully a new album
will be released soon and if the set at Gorilla is anything to go by
it will be sublime.
No comments:
Post a Comment