Before

Released in October 2020, Before is a four-track EP that marks a significant stylistic pivot for James Blake, leaning heavily into his background as a DJ and his roots in the UK electronic scene. While his previous work often leaned toward minimalist singer-songwriter territory or experimental downtempo, this project embraces the structures of house and UK garage. The EP was largely inspired by his 'CMYK' club nights and a desire to create music that functioned in a dancefloor context while maintaining his soulful, falsetto-driven identity. Critics noted the project's 'club-ready' nature, contrasting it with the more somber tones of 2019's Assume Form. The production is characterized by crisp drum programming, heavy use of vocal manipulation, and a sense of kinetic energy that was largely absent from his mid-career output. It stands as a bridge between his early post-dubstep experiments and his later, more polished pop-electronic fusion.