UK singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer James Blake, known for his Mercury Music Prize and GRAMMY® Award wins, has launched a significant creative phase with the release of “Big Hammer.” The accompanying music video was directed by Oscar Hudson, who has previously worked with Radiohead and Bonobo.
“Big Hammer” marks the debut single from James’ upcoming sixth studio album, titled “Playing Robots Into Heaven.” The album is set to release on September 8th through Polydor/Republic Records.
Following the highly praised album “Friends That Break Your Heart,” which marked James’ highest chart position in the UK to date, “Playing Robots Into Heaven” will see him return to his electronic roots reminiscent of his Hessle, Hemlock, and R&S records era. The album will pay homage to his recent creation, the CMYK event series with Ronda INTL, which debuted in LA last March and will make its way to London on July 6th. All CMYK events in the past year have sold out within minutes and featured notable appearances from guests like Steve Lacy, Channel Tres, and HAii, to name a few.
James will kick off his headline international tour for the release of Playing Robots Into Heaven on September 18th at the Fabrique in Milan. The tour will include dates in the UK, Europe, and North America, with a special show at Alexandra Palace in his hometown of London on September 28th. The tour will conclude in Los Angeles on October 19th. Check below for the complete list of tour dates.
Fans who pre-order the album from www.jamesblakemusic.com by 6pm on Monday July 3rd will get access to exclusive ticket pre-sale for James’ Alexandra Palace show on 4th July ahead of general sale on 7th July. Presales and general sales will be on this page of Ticketmaster.
James Blake 2023 tour dates:
- 18 Sep: Milan, Italy – Fabrique
- 21 Sep: Brussels, Belgium – Forest National Club
- 22 Sep: Paris, France – L’Olympia
- 24 Sep: Berlin, Germany – UFO im Velodrom
- 26 Sep: Tilburg, Netherlands – O13
- 28 Sep: London, UK – Alexandra Palace
- 3 Oct: Atlanta, GA, U.S. – Coca Cola Roxy
- 5 Oct: Queens, NY, U.S. – Knockdown Center
- 9 Oct: Boston, MA, U.S. – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
- 10 Oct: Montreal, QC, Canada – L’Olympia
- 12 Oct: Toronto, ON, Canada – Rebel
- 14 Oct: Chicago, IL, U.S. – Aragon Ballroom
- 16 Oct: San Francisco, CA, U.S. – The Masonic Theater
- 19 Oct: Los Angeles, CA, U.S. – Hollywood Forever Cemetery
About James Blake
The UK singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, who has won a GRAMMY® Award, humbly serves as the mysterious force responsible for shaping several highly influential albums in the 21st century.
He contributed to notable tracks on Frank Ocean’s “Blonde,” Kendrick Lamar’s “DAMN.,” Dave’s “We’re All Alone In This Together,” JAY-Z’s “4:44,” and Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.” He also provided vocals for both Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” and JAY-Z’s “4:44.” His featured appearances include the song “Stop Trying to Be God” with Stevie Wonder and Kid Cudi on Travis Scott’s acclaimed album “ASTROWORLD,” as well as “King’s Dead” with Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and Future from the highly successful “Black Panther: The Album.” This album not only achieved triple-platinum status but also earned Blake his first GRAMMY® Award in the category of “Best Rap Performance.”
James Blake emerged as a prominent figure in pop music, showcasing his unique style through his solo releases. His self-titled album in 2011 received a rare 9.0-out-of-10 score from Pitchfork and was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Albums of the Decade So Far (2010-2014).” Following this success, his 2013 album Overgrown demonstrated his ability to collaborate with artists like Brian Eno and RZA, earning him the 2013 Mercury Prize and a “Best New Artist” nomination at the GRAMMY® Awards. With his 2016 album The Colour In Anything and the subsequent Assume Form in 2019, Blake reached new heights commercially and critically. Assume Form debuted at #21 on the Billboard Top 200, becoming his highest-charting entry. It also received a GRAMMY® nomination for “Best Alternative Album” and was featured on various “Best of 2019” lists by esteemed publications. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Blake engaged with fans through Instagram live performances and released two well-received EPs titled Before and Covers, providing entertainment while live music events were on hold.
In October 2021, James unveiled his fifth studio album titled “Friends That Break Your Heart,” which debuted at #4 on the UK charts and garnered widespread critical praise. More recently, he teamed up with Metro Boomin to contribute to the Spider-Verse soundtrack, lending his talent to tracks like “Hummingbird” and “Nonviolent Communication” featuring A$AP Rocky & 21 Savage.
As James Blake gears up for his sixth album’s release, his influence on popular music steadily expands.
