“A deep, introspective and disarmingly sincere album” – Mixmag
“The lyrics are among the best of Blake’s career” – Evening Standard
“Melodies collapsing and rebuilding themselves in his digital laboratory” – The Independent
“His seventh studio album [is] a compendium of his best parts” – DIY
A GRAMMY-winning producer, songwriter, and musician, James Blake’s singular blend of soul, electronica, hip-hop, and alt-R&B has shaped the sound of modern music. Across six seminal studio albums, Blake’s catalogue has amassed over 2.2 billion streams: his 2019 album ‘Assume Form’, featuring ROSALÍA and Travis Scott, garnered widespread acclaim, followed by his highest chart debut to date with 2021’s ‘Friends That Break Your Heart’.
His transcendent vocals and visionary production have cemented him as one of contemporary music’s most influential figures, and a sought-after collaborator for Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, SZA, ROSALÍA, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott and more, contributing to era-defining albums like ‘Blonde’, ‘DAMN.’, ‘ASTROWORLD’, ‘Lemonade’, and ‘Motomami’.
The album features recently released singles ‘Death Of Love’ and ‘I Had A Dream She Took My Hand’, showcasing the full range of Blake’s artistic voice and a rare emotional candor. Throughout ‘Trying Times’, Blake navigates the fragile space between closeness and solitude in an uncertain era, tracing the fault lines of contemporary life. As overwhelm seeps into both its themes and atmosphere, the record settles in a place between optimism and unease.
Alongside the new record, Blake has also announced details of his upcoming European tour, set to begin in September, including a special stop at London’s O2 Academy Brixton. The dates follow the earlier announcement of his North American run, which features two sold-out shows at NYC’s Brooklyn Paramount, as well as a sold-out show at Toronto’s HISTORY. The full dates can be found below.
Most recently, Blake collaborated with revered UK rapper Dave on his critically acclaimed album ‘The Boy Who Played The Harp’, and crafted ‘Séance’ alongside Ludwig Göransson, a standout from the soundtrack from Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’.
James Blake Live Dates 2026
Wed 05/27/26 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
Fri 05/29/26 – New York, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
Sat 05/30/26 – New York, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
Sun 05/31/26 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
Tue 06/02/26 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
Thu 06/04/26 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
Sat 06/06/26 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Mon 06/08/26 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
Tue 29/09/26 – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton
Mon 05/10/26 – Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg
Thu 08/10/26 – Brussels, BE – Cirque Royal
Mon 12/10/26 – Paris, FR – Le Grand Rex
Thu 15/10/26 – Berlin, DE – Astra Kulturhaus
Sun 18/10/26 – Cologne, DE – E-Werk
Wed 21/10/26 – Glasgow, UK – SWG3 Galvanizers
Sun 25/10/26 – Manchester, UK – New Century
Wed 28/10/26 – Bristol, UK – O2 Academy Bristol
Thu 06/11/26 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre
Fri 06/12/26 – Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre
‘Trying Times’ Tracklist
1. Walk Out Music
2. Death Of Love
3. I Had A Dream She Took My Hand
4. Trying Times
5. Make Something Up
6. Didn’t Come To Argue (ft. Monica Martin)
7. Days Go By
8. Doesn’t Just Happen (ft. Dave)
9. Obsession
10. Rest Of Your Life
11. Through The High Wire
12. Feel It Again
13. Just A Little Higher
[‘Trying Times’ Artwork]
