With James Blake’s fourth album, Assume Form, arriving yesterday, the music wheels of 2019 are officially in motion. It’s early, but it may be an album-of-the-year contender. With just the one single being released in the album’s lead-up, ‘Don’t Miss It’, there’s plenty of unheard gems amongst the track-list. And the best of the lot is ‘Into The Red’.
Mount Kimbie’s Dom Maker is a co-producer on the track, which is obviously a stamp of approval. It’s always magical when Dom and James have collaborated over the years and ‘Into The Red’ is no exception.
As the song begins with dour violin strings, it appears it may be the first heartbreaker of the record. But the playful electronic-piano changes the whole course of the track on its introduction, signalling a beautiful, uplifting love song. With his ever-unique combination of falsettos and low tones, James expresses gratitude of the highest order to someone he clearly holds close to his heart. “But for me she goes way in, way in, way into the red,” he sings softly, indicating the person would basically sacrifice everything for him. I bet they’re not alone either – just check out that extremely good-looking specimen in the header image. Damn boy.
Umm, anyway, if you’re a sucker for a touching love song, or a sucker for James like me, ‘Into The Red’ is a must listen.
Assume Form is out now via Polydor Records. Buy it, stream it, whatever it here.