James Blake

British dubstep-minimalist artist, James Blake, has brought his unique sound Stateside with the release of his self-titled debut album. His trio of 2010 EPs - Klavierwerke, CMYK and The Bells Sketch - garnered so much attention that Blake was named runner-up for BBC's Sound of 2011, which highlights buzzworthy up-and-coming artists.
With a stripped-down, uncluttered sound, Blake's creations are hauntingly beautiful. His voice echoes soulfully throughout his self-titled album, with lyrics as deliberate as the heavy beats that accentuate each track.
Part of what's so potent about his songs is that Blake tends to replicate the environments he sings about. On the track, "Wilhelm Scream" he sings, "I don't know about my dreaming anymore, all that I know is I'm falling, falling, falling, falling, falling," and the floating music drops the floor away.
Blake has managed to create something new, balancing his understated vocals with funky, dub beats, synthesizers and a vocoder.