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So if you’re a regular listener to the Nihal vs. Gilles Peterson record swop on Radio 1, you’ll know that last week GPs recommended the track ” from the new album, whilst playing ‘Footprints’ on his own show.

Although we know he got reality a little confused as the seminal R&S Records haven’t reformed just for the benefit of Blake’s productions as we’ve already covered the re-launch of Belgium’s finest with the compilations Optimo Presents In Order To Edit (shame to hear the news that Glasgow’s long running Optimo club night will end this Sunday, see Links below) and In Order To Dance last year..

And then Blake crops up in Clash Music’s magazine as one of the downloads of the month for April (link below and good luck if it works for you) and then there’s an interview in the May edition of The Stool Pigeon with nearly one of the best headings you’re going to get this year, Inventive Producer, One Dubstep Beyond.

Blake is very much Phase 2 of the post-Burial evolution of dubstep along with others that are equally promising like of Ikonika, Untold and the phenomenal Sbtrkt. All will get their EP in the basement bassbin this year but ‘CMYK’ touches us first as it’s Daedelus meets EL-B meets Bullion meet Paul White; somewhat of a shock to his teachers at Goldsmiths you might think?

‘Footnotes’ is a bit too close to ‘Sparky’s Talking Piano’ for me (“that’s one for the teenagers” as H&J would say) but it’s got its own light and bass but it’s really for the real left field you’d have thought.

‘I’ll Stay’ is back to more Ninja Tune Daedelus period cut-up but without being too obvious whilst ‘Footprints’ gets back to the simple complication of ‘CMYK’ - as Nihal said, “How do these producers do this stuff without any reference points?” He’s got a point as you’ll never be hip unless you dream, killer track that blows the floor away (as an aside, I’m looking for seminal 2010 tracks for a new club night - provisionally called Length - and ‘CMYK’ and ‘Postpone’ are definitely high up there).

Not only is the new EP awesome, I’d also recommend you seek out some back catalogue, especially ‘Air & Lack Thereof’ and ‘Sparing The Horses’ that were released on Hemlock and Hessle late last year. This guy is the antitheist of bass wobble break stereotype so be prepared to be impressed as if you found him yourself; red coat - damn!!

Reviewed: James Blake - CMYK EP (R&S Records) Release date: 31st May 2010
1. CMYK (3:40)
2. Footnotes (4:48)
3. I’ll Stay (3:50)
4. Postpone (3:41)

Links:
www.myspace.com/jamesblakeproduction
www.rsrecords.com
www.myspace.com/randsrecords
Inventive Producer One Dubstep Ahead - James Blake - The Stool Pigeon p6.
www.thestoolpigeon.co.uk
21st May 2010: Freedem Sounds With Untold & James Blake with Collapse, Sai, West Norwood Cassette Library, Deadbit and Mr.Luna @ Babalou, Brixton
freedemsounds.com
SATURDAY 24TH APRIL 2010 - SCRATCH PRESENT : DJ FORMAT & BULLION + Bones to the Stones After Party! PLUS HOST MC: TUKKA & Not forgetting residents Matt Smooth, Richy Pitch, Lyley & Tomski :: Scratch will also be making the most of the night by hosting the after party for all the B-Boys and B-Girls at the ‘Bones to the Stones’ event taking place in Brixton, so expect to see plenty of cool dance floor action @ THE BIG CHILL HOUSE, 257 - 259 PENTONVILLE ROAD, KINGS CROSS, LONDON N1 9NL ALL THIS & IT’S FREE BEFORE 10AM !!!!!!!!!!!! ONLY £5 THEREAFTER!!
Optimo (Espacio) club night that was started in November 1997 at The Sub Club by dj’s JD Twitch and JG Wilkes will end this weekend. On Sunday the 25th April 2010 that event will end forever.) http://www.wecanneverstop.com/2010/03/optimo-press-release/
Gilles Peterson 21.04.10: Guru tribute
James Blake - CMYK (R&S Records)
Nihal 20.04.10: NIHAL & GILES PETERSON RECORD SWAP
James Blake - CMYK (R&S Records)
Sutrasonic B-Boys — Can We Go A Little Faster Man (White)