Words by Nina Carter
James Blake never disappoints. With his new EP, 200 Press, the wunderkind has done it again. It has four songs, each more delectable than the last, with seamless, easygoing percussion connecting each, as though a four-track single.
Released through 1-800 Dinosaur, the EP forshadows his forthcoming album, set (hopefully) for a 2015 release and rumoured to feature Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and Kanye West.
An adventure in electro madness, the first song, 200 Press, gees us up for a swaying, waltzy campfire ballad. Opening with soft hollering, the atmosphere builds with an imperious synth and skin-crawling chants. The song peaks with some soft wailing under the melody, as the lyrics refer to folk songs, campfires and Kum Ba Yah.
Next is the more intense 200 Pressure, starting on a heavy bass and a big, repetitive beat. As strange as it sounds, the random yells, outlandish shouts and reworked computer-game sound effects come together in a really catchy bridge.
The EP starts mellowing out with third track Building It Still. Slower, simpler keys and vocals give this song an unfinished, relaxed quality, a calming break after the frantic first two tracks. The melody, keys, and apparent chatter of dusk insects provide a sense of otherness, really letting us embrace the four-track flow.
Final track Words That We Both Know isn’t so much a song as the strangest minute-long poetry recital you’ve heard all year. Basic piano complements the old-time recital, taking us back to Lee Moses’s dulcet tones and the 1960s.
Daring, comforting and poignant, 200 Press gives us just a morsel of Blake’s talent while exposing the from-the-ground-up ethos of the team at 1800-Dinosaur. The four tracks highlight Blake’s innate capacity to connect with his listeners emotionally and musically, and tie us over as we wait for his hotly anticipated new album.