Album Review: The Colour in Anything

It’s been three years since the release of James Blake’s Mercury Music Prize-winning second album Overgrown. James Blake’s third album builds on this success. The Colour in Anything is an amazing album that drives Blake’s introspective electronica even further away from imitations; if anything, Blake’s style has become even more minimalistic.

The Colour in Anything is a sad record that mostly seems to centre on the breakdown of a relationship. Songs such as ‘Points’, ‘Love Me In Whatever Way’ and ‘f.o.r.e.v.e.r’ all seem to lament the changes in someone. Blake’s lyrics are still exceptional and his ethereal vocals often sound like they are mourning his previous lover. As always, Blake’s music is in a constant state of flux, breaking down and building back up, as if to match his own desperate and frantic mind. Often Blake seems to be at the point of losing control, only to rein the music back in at the last second, after pushing it to its limit.

It was rumoured that some big names were going to be a part of this album, and most of these proved true: Blake collaborated with Frank Ocean on ‘My Willing Heart’ and with Bon Iver on ‘I Need A Forest Fire’. However, the most noticeable omission was that of Kanye West, who Blake wanted to feature on ‘Timeless’. The Colour in Anything proves that Blake doesn’t need Kanye to make a brilliant album.