James Blake – CMYK
CMYK is only the third release from London electronic producer James Blake, who is only 21. His style is already recognizable: progressions of thick soul and jazz chords, pitched-down and mangled vocals, and mid-tempo beats that balance synthesized sub-bass with handclaps, snaps, and other humanizing soundlets. But each of his releases– last year’s “Air & Lack Thereof” / “Sparing the Horses” single, February’s The Bells Sketch EP, and now, CMYK EP– also sounds like its own project, filled with private rules and concepts. He’s writing his theme and his variations at the same time.