Released last month, Assume Form marks BlakeвЂ™s decade-long evolution into one of the most sought-after British songwriting talents, revered both as a solo conjurer of delicate, minimalist synth beauty and as a contributor to hugely anticipated blockbuster projects by chart behemoths. Rapper Travis Scott also appears, returning the favour after Blake appeared on his album Astroworld. Blake is up for two Grammy awards in rap categories this year, alongside rappers Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and Future for their track KingвЂ™s Dead, taken from the Black Panther soundtrack.ДЇlamenco innovator RosalГa and neo-soul prodigy Moses Sumney guest on Assume Form, as does AndrГ© 3000, the OutKast alumnus who doesnвЂ™t seem to step into a recording booth nowadays without Blake nearby (their collaboration on Assume Form is their fourth in as many years). Bon Iver, Chance the Rapper and Jay-Z are other studio sparring partners. Drake has sampled him and Kanye West declared him вЂњKanyeвЂ™s favourite artistвЂќ before a few ultimately ill-fated 2014 writing sessions together. F or an artist whose sound is steeped in isolation, cutting a forlorn figure on icy electronic laments that shiver with loneliness, James Blake arrives at his latest album Assume Form as one of the best connected people in popular music.ДЄt some point over the last decade, while journeying from the fringes of LondonвЂ™s dubstep scene to the epicentre of American rap and pop, it became easier to list superstars the acclaimed producer-songwriter hasnвЂ™t worked with.

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