Trying Times (2LP White Vinyl)

Trying Times’ is a record about being in love whilst battling the limits of the self against a backdrop of global uncertainty. James Blake 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.

Across six acclaimed albums, including his GRAMMY-nominated ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’, the Platinum-selling ‘Overgrown’ and the UK Top 5 ‘Friends That Break Your Heart’, Blake has evolved from post-dubstep visionary to globally celebrated vocalist, composer and producer. His signature sound and Midas touch production have supported some of the most defining artists and albums of the last decade, including Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, ROSALÍA, SZA, Travis Scott, Jay Rock’s GRAMMY-winning hit ‘King’s Dead’ and, most recently, groundbreaking UK rapper Dave.