Tuesday Track: James Blake’s “To Care (Like You)”

By Zach Sokol

James Blake, the twenty-one year-old British electronic composer, defies the idea that it takes years for a musician to find their sound. After releasing three jaw-droppingly great EP’s this past year, Blake’s full-length, self-titled debut LP can be found in stores as of yesterday. To celebrate his release, this week’s Tuesday Track is Blake’s aphrodisiac-like “To Care (Like You).”

Blake creates new soundscapes in his music that will re-pop a listener’s ear-virginity, not dissimilar from hearing the Beatles for the first time. It is truly difficult to describe his sound. There are hints of The xx (who Blake admits are an influence), post-dubstep electronic bleeps and blips, as well as the R&B influence that How To Dress Well are also known for. However, unlike How To Dress Well, Blake makes music that feels sexy. You can picture lips meeting and heavy breathing fogging car windows immediately after the first bars of “To Care (Like You).”

The mixture of electronic and R&B makes the listener feel nostalgic for music of the past while simultaneously fitting the needs of our technology-driven generation. This week’s track is one of the best examples of his fusion of the two genres. Blake is a millenial’s interpretation of Al Green.

“To Care (Like You)” is a near-perfect date soundtrack. You and your significant other have drank a little too much wine, maybe split a joint. This song will send blood rushing to your loins as the repetitive lyrics mimic the repetitive motions of making love. The vocoder-enhanced moans scattered throughout add to the sensuality. If you were to play Boyz II Men or John Mayer, your date would roll his or her eyes. Blake’s songs are romantic without forcing an emotion or getting up in your face.

On the album, which readers can listen to here, each track provokes passion. Valentine’s Day is coming up, so go out and buy the following: albums, red light bulbs, scented candles, and, of course, James Blake.