Uhhhh classic? I'm loving the Mt Kimbie EPs and the new James Blake one, CMYK. Anyone else feeling this? Or is it being written off as like subBurial or some wack thought like that? What else sounds like this?
― uptown churl, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:11 (thirteen years ago) link
Went to Mt Kimbie's album launch in Brixton t'other night, without having heard their music before, and their live set seemed a bit ponderous and timid to me. Every time they finally launched into a groove they had spent ages building up, it seemed to stop dead after no time at all. I'd probably all work better on headphones. The big-glasses wearing Hoxton types inhabiting the place seemed to be into it. Joy Orbison's subsequent DJ set was banging, BTW.
― rhythm fixated member (chap), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:23 (thirteen years ago) link
Listening to Maybes on their MySpace now. Nice, but yeah, Burial-like is the first thing that came to mind.
― rhythm fixated member (chap), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:26 (thirteen years ago) link
i'm all about this stuff, looking forward to some full-lengths
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:32 (thirteen years ago) link
i don't hear mount kimbie as being especially burial-ish, it reminds me more of telefon tel aviv, or maybe a nicely updated '90s idm vibe
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 18:33 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, I don't hear Burial at all?
― Always-Smells-Like-Maple Man (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 20:47 (thirteen years ago) link
james blake is like the most stilted lurching creepy music ever. in a good way though, you know
― teflon donk (samosa gibreel), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 20:53 (thirteen years ago) link
Everyone remotely connected to dubstep must now be compared to Burial by law.
Isn't there a Mt Kimbie album out imminently or did I imagine that?
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 21:59 (thirteen years ago) link
there is a mt. kimbie full length coming out very soon
― cutty, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:09 (thirteen years ago) link
oh hey, july 19
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:09 (thirteen years ago) link
mt kimbie is great to smoke weed to, but how does one dance to it ?
― beat boy damager, power 2 the people (Its all about face), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:21 (thirteen years ago) link
The Bells Sketch is absolutely brilliant.
― Chewshabadoo, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:24 (thirteen years ago) link
whats good of james blakes then? is he REALLY that good? people are raving about him like hes the new burial (regardless of whether they sound alike).
― truffle-flavoured french fry (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:25 (thirteen years ago) link
"CMYK" the song (and the cut up vocals seem excessively Burial to me) and the EP really bored me. Haven't heard Mt. Kimble though.
― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:29 (thirteen years ago) link
listening to cmyk. this is actually pretty cool surprisingly. i was expecting it to be really boring. but its got a really nice quality about it.
― truffle-flavoured french fry (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:54 (thirteen years ago) link
really not into james blake. pleasant but oh so boring.
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:56 (thirteen years ago) link
james blake: untold remix > the bells sketch, mount kimbie remix > harmonimix > CMYK, air & lack thereof > pembroke. lex kinda otm though, it's a great sound for the first 15 minutes but withers a bit in the GENRE SAVIOR spotlight
& the only real similarity to burial is the er 'hauntological' aspect, no? much more pronounced in the 'maybes' ep than anything else though
― lucas pine, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 22:59 (thirteen years ago) link
this is better than just pleasant. i thought thats what it would be but its... a bit better than that.
― truffle-flavoured french fry (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 23:04 (thirteen years ago) link
i don't hear burial in MK at all. it's way more bright and colorful.
― cutty, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 23:08 (thirteen years ago) link
yup, and pretty.
i can't point to a james blake track that's really blown me away by itself, but he seems like a multi-talented dude and i like where he's going with it.
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 23:16 (thirteen years ago) link
nothing danceable about this stuff though.
― truffle-flavoured french fry (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 23:20 (thirteen years ago) link
blake sounded like sub joy orb to me
― gonjasufi smacker (J0rdan S.), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 23:20 (thirteen years ago) link
Mount Kimbie Sketch on Glass EP is excellent. Haven't really got into any Blake I've heard so far.
― seandalai, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 23:22 (thirteen years ago) link
really enjoy Mount Kimbie on record BUT saw them live for the first time t'other week and my god were they boring lifeless plodding and a number of other things that are not fun to watch.
James Blake is pretty patchy IMO but when he gets it right, like on the Untold remix and "CMYK", he gets it really REALLY right.
― henry rollin rollin rollins (big spoon), Thursday, 3 June 2010 01:51 (thirteen years ago) link
in retrospect lumping them together may have been a mistake, leading to admittedly misleading burial comparisons at least regarding mt. kimbie.think the burial influence is pretty undeniable for blake tho, if not necessarily a point that needs to be dwelled upon ... anyways i guess what i really was curious about was how people felt about the lack of danceability. i love how the dubstep rhythms are reappropriated -- in something likeblake's remix of 'maybes' -- and twisted into these shuddering, almost-danceable-but-not-quite forms.
― uptown churl, Thursday, 3 June 2010 02:13 (thirteen years ago) link
the thing is, I would have thought the same thing, but I have seen both CMYK and the Destinys Child remix absolutely destroy dances. kind of made me take him a bit more seriously, ridiculous thing to say I know.
would love to hear the Untold remix on a good system, never had the pleasure.
― henry rollin rollin rollins (big spoon), Thursday, 3 June 2010 03:55 (thirteen years ago) link
The Mt. Kimbie remix of LV & Untold's 'Beacon' was seriously nice. Been listening to that a lot.
― sam500, Thursday, 3 June 2010 09:03 (thirteen years ago) link
http://factmag-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Crooks-Lovers-Front-Cover.jpeg
― sam500, Thursday, 3 June 2010 09:10 (thirteen years ago) link
http://boomkat.com/cds/310793-mount-kimbie-crooks-lovers
very excited for this, in spite of the cover.
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Thursday, 10 June 2010 16:16 (thirteen years ago) link
it's awesome
― cutty, Thursday, 10 June 2010 16:32 (thirteen years ago) link
http://www.factmag.com/2010/07/12/stream-hear-mount-kimbies-crooks-lovers-exclusively-on-fact/
:D
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Monday, 12 July 2010 17:36 (thirteen years ago) link
omg @ that cover
― plax (ico), Monday, 12 July 2010 18:45 (thirteen years ago) link
This is fuckin A. Wanna say its kinda four tetty though, they've pretty much dropped any uk bass/purple wow influence they had
― plax (ico), Monday, 12 July 2010 18:58 (thirteen years ago) link
i think i need to hear this really late at night
― plax (ico), Monday, 12 July 2010 18:59 (thirteen years ago) link
they've pretty much dropped any uk bass/purple wow influence they had
i'm not disagreeing, but 'blind night errand' seems more like a straight dubstep track than anything they've done before
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Monday, 12 July 2010 19:04 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah maybe, first listen etc. I guess its partly to do w/ the dubstep that my friends listen to which is way more aggressive than the stuff that i was listening to around the time of Maybes
― plax (ico), Monday, 12 July 2010 19:12 (thirteen years ago) link
After a few listens this isn't really measuring up to the EP's for me. Seems like they're using a lot of the same tricks but in a less effective way. And then there's something like "Field" (I'm guessing the title is a nod to Axel Willner) which is pretty cool but the awkwardness of the transition just kills it.
― Number None, Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:52 (thirteen years ago) link
I like this
― is breads of india still tite (admrl), Sunday, 18 July 2010 22:07 (thirteen years ago) link
i like this, too. i understand the burial comparisons (hollow-sounding song-structures, diva-voices), but it's a really different vibe.
mind you, i love burial's work. this is just different.
― Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 18 July 2010 22:11 (thirteen years ago) link
i think my favourite Blake things are the remixes he did under Harmonimix
Bills Bills Bills - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDWHGz2ma_Q
A Milli - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGcOVgv3P6A&feature=related
― merked, Sunday, 18 July 2010 23:54 (thirteen years ago) link
Ugh that A Milli mix is horrible
― is breads of india still tite (admrl), Monday, 19 July 2010 00:01 (thirteen years ago) link
(sorry, thanks for posting though!)
RA podcast, about the billionth mix i've heard this week w/ actress on it. not a bad thing though.
― plax (ico), Monday, 19 July 2010 10:03 (thirteen years ago) link
you've heard a billion mixes this week already? excellent work
― 不合作的方式 (r1o natsume), Monday, 19 July 2010 13:21 (thirteen years ago) link
actress is great in a billion different ways though, hes got a track that'd fit pretty much anywhere
― straightola, Monday, 19 July 2010 13:33 (thirteen years ago) link
good time management
― r (ico), Monday, 19 July 2010 13:34 (thirteen years ago) link
i think i remember reading that he'd never heard a milli before, just came across the acapella.
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Monday, 19 July 2010 14:15 (thirteen years ago) link
What is this, microstep already?
― Matt DC, Monday, 26 July 2010 08:48 (thirteen years ago) link
not heard the mount kimbie album yet but the ep reminded me of four tet, definitely.
― titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Monday, 26 July 2010 09:47 (thirteen years ago) link
wow, this before i move off song, from the mount kimbie disc, is one of the best things i've heard this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ7AF8IG7Eg
― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 28 July 2010 02:27 (thirteen years ago) link
Also, this little aside has made me think about what would I put on my own "best of" playlist for JB. And it's made me go back through and discover some absolutely unique and esoteric pop music. I'm thinking songs like:
'Lindisfarne''Retrograde''The Willhelm Scream''Overgrown''Modern Soul''Digital Lion'
And about half the new album.
I've always thought of him as someone who has ambitions to be a pop star, sell out stadiums, and win lots of awards. . . but he's just too eccentric. Like a Robert Wyatt for millennials or something.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 25 January 2019 18:50 (five years ago) link
@ piscesx, yeah, my assessment of James Blake recently was "the world's most successful songwriter whose never written a song"
tbh I enjoy his production so, so much (especially on "Digital Lion", which Austin mentioned) that he's more classic than dud for me, but I hope he develops a voice as a songwriter sometime soon
― flamboyant goon tie included, Friday, 25 January 2019 18:57 (five years ago) link
the new album is the first time his songwriting's really done much for me consistently, it feels much stronger and more focused/less meandering than before - "into the red", "barefoot in the park", "power on", and "don't miss it" are all great songs not just great production
i like the s/t a lot still but the strength there is the production and the way he gets so much out of small melodic phrases like on "the wilhelm scream" (one of his absolute best still even though the melody is sampled from one of his dad's songs) and "i never learnt to share". i've never figured out quite what's going on rhythmically in "unluck" either
overgrown is just a bit of a mess to me, it has a lot of ideas but they don't really cohere anywhere near as well, there's a lot more focus on his weaker songwriting, and the sound design felt like a step down from the debut. i love "digital lion" and "retrograde" at least
i don't really remember much about the colour in anything at all, it's just so long and keeps the same mood the whole way through but "i need a forest fire" is really nice
― ufo, Saturday, 26 January 2019 00:48 (five years ago) link
Is 'unluck' is the one with the quintuplets in the drums?
I like him as a producer first, and he's had some great moments blurring the lines between 'voice as an instrument' and 'what is a song, really?' But also some bad moments where it veers too far into singer/songwriter territory and can only be judged on those terms.
Anyway I still haven't heard the new one and I'm hoping for the best, but the EPs (and most of the 1st album) are underrated these days.
― change display name (Jordan), Saturday, 26 January 2019 03:31 (five years ago) link
Oh dear. I'm sorry to say that if that was the standout track on the Colour In Anything for you, the rest of the album is going to be a real challenge.
Look at it like this:
'I Need a Forest Fire' : The Colour in Anything :: 'Friday, I'm in Love' : Wish
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Saturday, 26 January 2019 03:34 (five years ago) link
Thing is he IS a star, he sold out terminal 5 few years back. I had a comp and went, thousands of Williamsburg waterfront condo types unsure of what to do, looking at phones, etc
― Vapor waif (uptown churl), Saturday, 26 January 2019 18:40 (five years ago) link
And I stand by my "Robert Wyatt for millennials" in that case.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Sunday, 27 January 2019 01:32 (five years ago) link
I think more David Sylvian, me
― flamboyant goon tie included, Sunday, 27 January 2019 01:34 (five years ago) link
Robert Wyatt for millennials
David Sylvian
i guess i'm gonna have to finally give this guy a listen
― diamonddave85 (diamonddave85), Sunday, 27 January 2019 23:08 (five years ago) link
James Blake has written an article for world mental health day and it seems, amongst the other stuff, that he's an only-semi-reformed incel
https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2019/oct/james-blake-on-mental-health/
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 11 October 2019 11:04 (four years ago) link
Is this not a bit... y'know https://t.co/TMrHtefy4X pic.twitter.com/UxHVVj0Y3G— Laura Snapes (@laurasnapes) October 11, 2019
also how about seeing women as, idk, people, instead of a "lesson in empathy and love" pic.twitter.com/6Bg6GYQpkL— Laura Snapes (@laurasnapes) October 11, 2019
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 11 October 2019 11:05 (four years ago) link
that's not how i read it at all.
to me, it was pretty obvious that he is saying that in order to find external human connection, you need to have empathy and love for yourself first. and that is increasingly hard to do in a modern world that (he feels) emphasizes being "made to feel we can do anything and be anything" and pushes "understanding women as a resource rather than a lesson in empathy and love" before understanding those concepts as applied to oneself. he (presumably) applies this to women because that is his preference for a partnership.
too bad that someone can be genuinely vulnerable and express their innermost ideas and best intentions and still face shit for it.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 11 October 2019 15:57 (four years ago) link
I'm all for expressing vulnerability and talking about your mental health problems. However, as someone who has had these problems myself I would hate for anyone to treat this as an excuse for me if I was behaving in a shitty way. His attitude towards women really needs work - and his constant self-flagellation just makes it even more about him and even less about them.
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 11 October 2019 17:11 (four years ago) link
His attitude towards women really needs work
i think he's always been the first person to say as much.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 11 October 2019 17:33 (four years ago) link
He sort of says this, yes, but it's obvious he doesn't get why they are wrong, he keeps making everything about himself and keeps using dehumanising language about women. How about their mental health? Can we have an article from his girlfriend instead?
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 11 October 2019 17:44 (four years ago) link
keeps using dehumanising language about women
this is across the board for him, not just women.
not saying i agree 100% with him in this regard, but he is trying to relate his own experiences to an altogether more universal sentiment. it's been a pretty constant theme through all of his music. he almost always finishes things with a "we / "our" / "us" stance. and the times he doesn't, well, he's only human.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 11 October 2019 17:52 (four years ago) link
we got from "I'm all for expressing vulnerability and talking about your mental health problems" to "Can we have an article from his girlfriend instead?" pretty quickly!
― ogmor, Friday, 11 October 2019 17:59 (four years ago) link
Surehttps://twitter.com/jameelajamil
― change display name (Jordan), Friday, 11 October 2019 18:11 (four years ago) link
i recommend crooks and lovers, the 2010 album by mount kimbie
― treeship., Saturday, 27 June 2020 03:38 (three years ago) link
i recommend every release by mount kimbie.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Saturday, 27 June 2020 05:08 (three years ago) link
It's their clear peak imo
― change display name (Jordan), Saturday, 27 June 2020 15:17 (three years ago) link
And it holds up too.
― change display name (Jordan), Saturday, 27 June 2020 15:18 (three years ago) link
This is surely his best song-based album (although of course I liked him best before he learned to write a proper song)?
A friend of mine has a duet on this album which is truly mind blowing to the me of 2010 - 2012. Or 2021. I think it's a highlight for sure.
― change display name (Jordan), Saturday, 9 October 2021 15:03 (two years ago) link
i've been kind of lost on him since the dust settled on assume form (which i still think is great). i was feeling impatient a couple weeks ago and decided to skim the scattershot of singles and eps he's done in the meantime and it all just felt kind of stopgap. i should give it more of a chance.
― things repeat forever and there never is a remedy (Austin), Saturday, 9 October 2021 15:24 (two years ago) link
gave it a front to back listen on our walk just now and i really like the music, but his vocals are so unenthusiastic. thematically, he's repeating himself more than ever and he just sounds so stagnant, like he's bored of everything he's singing about. it's decent overall, but i can't imagine going back to it with any frequency.
― things repeat forever and there never is a remedy (Austin), Saturday, 9 October 2021 17:42 (two years ago) link
"he sounds bored" is kinda where i've landed with Blake for the past five years or so
― When Young Sheldon began to rap (forksclovetofu), Monday, 11 October 2021 21:12 (two years ago) link
Idk I think he just sounds like James Blake
― change display name (Jordan), Monday, 11 October 2021 21:14 (two years ago) link
Except his influences are pop music and being in L.A. instead of dubstep and being in London
― change display name (Jordan), Monday, 11 October 2021 21:15 (two years ago) link
we may be saying the same thing
― When Young Sheldon began to rap (forksclovetofu), Monday, 11 October 2021 23:00 (two years ago) link
How about their mental health? Can we have an article from his girlfriend instead?― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 11 October 2019 18:44 (two years ago)
What a bizarre position to advocate, that people should be compelled to confess because someone they are involved with is objectionable to satisfy ones pseudo-political hang ups. Not that I cared for Blake's article but the responses to it have been peak pop idol fandom, and of course the inverse of the popstar is the fascist statesman-like orator. Very brexit-like this whole controversy was. Bowie did arrive at a key realisation coked out of his gord, (dance der mussolini) he just didn't then read Amadeo Bordiga's critique of democracy and abandon his liberal career to make unlistenable scronk for communist nerds. So in essence he only ever committed to his bovine fetish. A pity, it really is. Destroy the rockist vs poptimist binary now! pure hooligan plunderphonics!
There's a limit to your love James Blake, stop making tweepop and it will be unlimited.
― RobbiePires, Tuesday, 12 October 2021 09:18 (two years ago) link
JB backing up Monica Martin <3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G4T6L7tm4I
― change display name (Jordan), Thursday, 24 February 2022 19:02 (two years ago) link
Enjoyed this podcast with JB, at least the bits where he gets very specific about his process. How the remixes where he would reharmonize acapella tracks led to doing the same with his own music (ie making a whole track, then scrapping it and using it as sample/source material for the 'real' track), and producing for other artists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Mz7d6vjX4
― change display name (Jordan), Friday, 8 April 2022 21:08 (one year ago) link
Mount Kimbie released a Speakerboxxx/Love Below style EP, with the L.A. guy doing collabs with Danny Brown and Liv.e, and the UK guy doing hard UK bass tracks on the flip
― change display name (Jordan), Friday, 2 September 2022 19:42 (one year ago) link
Both good but living in London makes for more interesting music :)
― change display name (Jordan), Friday, 2 September 2022 19:45 (one year ago) link
special guest last night at a deep medi night :
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FcZePaBWAAAsQVy?format=jpg&name=large
my lad went for goth trad, but said that james was 'quite something'.
― mark e, Sunday, 11 September 2022 19:36 (one year ago) link
Kai's half of the Mount Kimbie record is probably more to my tastes, but Dom has become a pretty great rap producer. Feels very lived-in, which makes sense he's been playing the L.A. game for awhile now. Both sides sorta feel like mixtapes to get other gigs but also lots of nice stuff, and I'll probably listen to it more than any of their last few albums.
― change display name (Jordan), Monday, 7 November 2022 22:41 (one year ago) link
Haven't listened to the new record yet but I'm into his Mixmag mix, lots of unreleased bits and edits, takes me back to 2010 - 2012 (except with a lot more house vibes for 2023). https://mixmag.net/feature/james-blake-cover-dj-mix
Overall I'm glad he's back around to DJing and thinking about the dancefloor, can only be good for his music.
― 50 Favorite Jordans (Jordan), Friday, 8 September 2023 14:58 (six months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=615pYYcd2AE
said i just want youto know that you are really specialoh i oh i oh i oh i
― ivy., Friday, 8 September 2023 17:19 (six months ago) link
was not expecting to completely fall for the new james blake lp today
― ivy., Friday, 8 September 2023 20:52 (six months ago) link
I need some more listens, it kind of floated by on headphones and I actually think that this is a non-headphones JB record, but I love to hear that.
On a nerd level I listened to his RA interview and he was saying that he built most of the tracks around snippets from modular synth jams (and that looking at a DAW on a laptop ruins his day now) and you can totally hear that. But the keyboard playing & singing (which still must be manipulated on a computer I assume) keeps it Blakean.
― 50 Favorite Jordans (Jordan), Friday, 8 September 2023 20:59 (six months ago) link
loved that mix.
james blake is probably the most insane 180 degree turn i have ever done on an artist.used to pop into Fopp during my lunchhour and his debut was always on.hated it.fast forward to a couple of years ago when one of my lads bought me 'assume form' for xmas.and yeah, that penny dropped hard.his recent mad video re 'big hammer' = massive WTF.loved it.
― mark e, Friday, 8 September 2023 21:02 (six months ago) link
Haha wow, I'm the exact opposite. Obsessed with the first three EPs and the debut album, and while I've liked a track here and there since, I've been mostly wanting him to release something that gives me the same feeling. And I think Big Hammer is the worst track on the new one, lol (it is a cool video though).
― 50 Favorite Jordans (Jordan), Friday, 8 September 2023 21:18 (six months ago) link
i love Big Hammer.such a mad mad track for a supposed major artist ..
― mark e, Friday, 8 September 2023 21:34 (six months ago) link
I'll give it another shot. I want him to make even madder tracks like he used to!
― 50 Favorite Jordans (Jordan), Friday, 8 September 2023 21:35 (six months ago) link
also .. album release today.yet his website/amazon etc says sept 22 !?
― mark e, Friday, 8 September 2023 21:37 (six months ago) link
i think i love Big Hammer cos it's clearly james just having fun and trying to break out of the sadcore groove that he is predominantly known for.
― mark e, Friday, 8 September 2023 21:39 (six months ago) link
latest jb has won me back. "i want you to know" is maybe my favorite thing he's yet done and the rest of the album is crazy diverse in the best ways. chaotic and experimental one moment, pretty and beat-heavy the next. really feels like he's pushing himself again. he's definitely not on autopilot for this one.
― she fell asleep with her hand around my throat (Austin), Sunday, 7 January 2024 01:50 (two months ago) link
gearing up for the new mount kimbie, i found this live recording of 'maybes' off the crooks+lovers sampler-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKkFGYgzF1omount kimbie - 'maybes (live in berghain)' (2010)
― interstellar anthropologist+music philosopher, (Austin), Monday, 25 March 2024 17:58 (three days ago) link
New album is amazing. Strong Motorik vibes
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Monday, 25 March 2024 20:48 (three days ago) link