James Blake has posted his Essential Mix from 2011 as a free download.
James Blake has always struggled to find a sense of balance. Balance between electronics and confessional songwriting, the nature of songcraft as art and the fluid nature of club culture.
Yet the past six months have found the English artist achieving this sense of balance almost effortlessly. From new album 'Overgrown' to the latest Harmonimix re-dub, it seems that James Blake is on a roll.
Which is what makes this new move so interesting. Recorded in 2011, the bass prodigy's take on the Essential Mix was a stirring, inspiring effort, featuring plenty of (then) unreleased cuts.
Returning to the mix with the benefit of hindsight, it's clear where the threads leading to 'Overgrown' were first sewn. Fusing classical music with one off self-produced bangers such as 'Pan' this remains vital listening.
Uploaded via the 1-800-Dinosaur SoundCloud account, you can listen to it below.
– – –
Erik Satie – Gnossienne No.5
James Blake – Olivia Kept
James Blake Versus Drake – Half Heat Full Versus Up All Night
James Blake – Pan
SALEM – Trapdoor
Snoop Dogg – Drop it like it’s Not (Harmonimix)
[unknown] – Unknown
Klaus – Tarry
D’Angelo – One mo’ Gin
[unknown] – Sicko Cell
Blawan – What You Do With What You Have [R&S Records]
James Blake – No More Than A Road (Dub)
James Blake – At Birth (Dub)
The Chain – Suffer For Your Art [R&S Records]
Peverelist – Roll With The Punches (Harmonimix)
[unknown] – Navigator
OutKast – Return of the G
Africa Hitech – Out In The Street
DJ Nate – 3 Peat
James Blake – Deeds
Gavin Bryars – Three Elegies for Nine Clarinets II
Gavin Bryars – Three Elegies for Nine Clarinets III
Odi et Amo – Johann Johannsson
Grouper – Vessel
James Blake – Untitled
James Blake – Untitled
[unknown] – What Was It
The Tallest Man on Earth – Love Is All
SALEM – Redlights
Rev. James Cleveland – Jesus Saves
Trim – Confidence Boost (Harmonimix)
James Blake – Evening Fell Hard For Us
James Blake – Placing Us
James Blake – Words We Both Know
Arthur Russell – Love Comes Back
Stevie Wonder – You and I
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