Two years since his last full length Playing Robots Into Heaven (2023,) James Blake took to Instagram to share a clip of his forthcoming music along with the caption “I think we might be sleeping.”
Previously signed to A+M Record for his self-titled debut album and then to Republic Records for his Overgrown (2013), The Colour In Anything (2016), Assume Form (2019), Friends That Break Your Heart (2021) and Playing Robots Into Heaven LPs, in 2024, James revealed he had quit his record label in order to take full control of his music.
Opting to become an independent artist, the now 37-year old musician took to social media to share that he was feeling “good” but “scared” after choosing to go it alone, adding:
“After over a decade on a label it feels scary to go independent but here we are. As someone who hates spam, I promise not to send you annoying emails. Just trying to break free of the algorithm gods gatekeeping art. Speak soon…” “It feels good to be independent because I’ve wanted to take things into my own hands for a long time”
After requesting record labels “fund therapy” for their artists to help them cope with the pressures of the industry, the British-born artist wrote:
“You shouldn’t get to profit from our trauma without helping with the pitfalls of it. Live agents and managing companies too. All of them have a vested interest in the artist becoming more successful, which means disconnected from support systems/family/friends by being thrown into a strange, disconnected world of touring and parasocial media.” “I’m not suggesting a label provide their sanctioned therapist to be clear just that they should fund therapy.”
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Henry Laurisch