JAMES BLAKE MAY have come to your attention back in 2010, or maybe you’re just hearing about him for the first time. In which case, where have you been?
The musician released his soulful cover of Feist’s Limit to Your Love to much acclaim, and became known as the electronic music world’s brooding boy. His follow-up album, Overgrown, was released in 2013 and won the Mercury Prize that year.
His new album, Assume Form, is getting rave reviews from critics and fans alike. It paints a picture of his relationship with actress Jameela Jamil. He told Dazed that the album, more upbeat than his former, were about his current feelings about his girlfriend. Please try not to cry over this tweet he wrote about her.
Besides Jameela, it seems he got some inspiration from a little-know Irish musician. James has worked with Mount Kimbie, Bon Iver, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyonce in his career. Yet it’s young Valerie Armstrong who got his attention for Assume Form.
Dubliner Valerie recorded Fil Fil a Run in 1971 when she was just 13 on RTE show Come West Along The Road, and recently discovered that it had been sampled on James’ track Barefoot in the Park.
Listen and see.
https://www.facebook.com/151099214963243/videos/2153585278228284/
Here’s James’ track.
James thanked her when she expressed her delight at being featured with the ancient recording.
Yesss. This made my day. Thanks so much for clearing it Valerie. It’s such a beautiful performance you gave and I’m delighted you enjoyed the new context. https://t.co/6eQaz418XW
— James Blake (@jamesblake) 24 January 2019
What a throwback.
James Blake is a world-renowned producer from LDN who's worked with Kendrick & Beyoncé, chooses to sample an Irish folk song played by Valerie Armstrong and turns it into a bangin modern hip-hop track. We look so often to outside influence and there's gold on our own shores ! X https://t.co/a3j2BwuUlq
— Loah (@musicbyloah) 24 January 2019
Valerie is still gigging, you can find more about her over here on her website.
