James Blake at Øya 2019

James Blake has become one of the most connected and recognised artists in the world of music. The artist/producer has carried out collaborations with music giants of the likes of Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar.

His latest album Assume Form is full of collaborations with renowned artists, among them André 3000, Travis Scott and Rosalía. These partnerships give his music a refreshing twist while allowing him to remain faithful to his style. Sadly, he cant bring all these artists on tour to back him on the stage. 

Minimalist and delicate melodies

In any case, James Blake offered a beautiful and elegant presentation on the first day of Øya. Keeping his usual strategy on stage, Blake starts the concert with minimalist and delicate melodies, such as «Assume Form«, which allow him to put the emphasis on his piano skills. It is when «Mile High» comes up that we are able to see a slightly different James Blake. 

And one can only think that something must have rubbed off on him after so many collaborations with hip-hop artists. Of course I am not saying he is jumping around the stage rapping and flowing, but his music definitely feels more punchy and less monotonous. One can immediately notice that this resonates with the audience. Their attention clearly increase and «Limit to Your Love», a Feist cover from his self-titled debut solo album, only helps people at Øya becoming fully aware of his presence and give him some emotion in return. 

Øya at broad daylight 

Blake prints his own signature on the piano and synths, while his band mates do the proper job with bass and an analog sound machine. The latter is a true genius, as he produces on stage diverse sound effects that some artists on the studio would only dream on.  Rhythm and beats continue to increase louder and faster, all while being accompanied by Blake’s sharp voice. The light effects are usually amazing, but at this time in the early afternoon is not possible to appreciate them. James Blake himself tells the audience he doesn’t feel that comfortable playing in full daylight  

After this slight display of heliophobia, Blake plays a couple of tracks that once again that mutate and refresh the traditional Blake style. His collaboration with the up-and-coming Spanish star Rosalía, «Barefoot in the Park», is one of these. The other one is one of the most fun songs on his latest album, «Where’s the Catch» with André 3000. Their voices are recorded and adapted to play live on stage. However, they fall short compared to the studio version, although I understand that it is something impossible to emulate. 

Towards the end of his concert, he presented «Voyeur» and the infamous «Retrograde» from his album Overgrown. The beats were still on the rise and when it seems that everything is going to get out of control, James Blake reminds you that his true style is delicate and minimalist. He manages to bring you back to a state of contemplation of his beautiful lyrics and exquisite beats with «Don’t Miss It«. In general, the concert was very enjoyable and it was very nice to see all the complexity of Blake on the stage, faithful to his own unique style.