Album number seven finds Blake’s haunting R&B expanding into a broader, soulful palette, utilising the strength of a full band set-up alongside his trademark electronica, flowing and drawing from many different genres whilst still feeling fresh and quintessentially James Blake. The two cover tracks that feature on the Dinked exclusive bonus 7” ought to clue you in as to where Blake’s creative impulses currently lie, as do the contributions from singer-songwriter, Monica Martin, and Dave the rapper. Our Ewan says that he’s “only had this on a couple of times but can tell it is going to soundtrack 2026.”Trying Times is James Blake’s seventh studio album and features British rapper, Dave, and singer-songwriter, Monica Martin. Written between Los Angeles and London, it’s a record about being in love whilst battling the limits of the self against a backdrop of global Trying Times, uncertainty. He explores the tension between intimacy and isolation, the pressure to curate and perform even as everything, inside and out, feels fragile and precarious. Themes of reflection, both literally and metaphorically, run through the record’s visual presentation, as Blake holds a mirror to the contradictions of modern connection - how we see ourselves, how we’re seen by others, and what gets lost in between. It’s about the disorienting loop of joy and dread: feeling safe in love, yet knowing the bubble could burst at any moment; struggling to stay present while global anxiety and private doubt pull you in different directions. A meditation on love, identity, and fragility in an age where the world feels balanced on a knife edge.For Fans Of: FKA Twigs / D’Angelo / How To Dress Well / Mount Kimbie / Jamie XX / Sampha
