The Bells Sketch
The Bells Sketch is the debut EP of London-based producer James Blake. It was released on 8 March 2010 by Hessle Audio.[1] The EP received very positive reviews from music critics.
| The Bells Sketch | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | 8 March 2010 | |||
| Genre | Dubstep, post-dubstep | |||
| Length | 14:37 | |||
| Label | Hessle Audio (HES011) | |||
| Producer | James Blake | |||
| James Blake chronology | ||||
| ||||
Composition
The songs on The Bells Sketch have a speed of around 72 beats per minute, which is considered slow for dance music.[2] The title track of the EP features "playful" vocals, "erratic jazz piano basslines", and synthesizers.[3] The song's vocals are a mix of samples and Blake's own voice. It opens with a violin-like sound, after which Blake starts singing. After each phrase, a "video-game noise" covers up the vocals. Halfway through the track, Blake's voice is drowned out by bass.[2]
The next track, "Buzzard and Kestrel", starts with a mixture of muffled vocals and dog whistle melodies. The song stays this way for half its duration, until a cowbell is played. The song then fades out as it ends.[3][4] It is influenced by lounge piano and Outkast snare patterns, and features some synthesizer.[3] The final track of the album is "Give a Man a Rod". The song is driven by claps sounding like drums, and vocals akin to Flying Lotus.[3][4] A version of the song without a drop was released in 2011, entitled "Give a Man a Rod (Second Version)".[5]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Fact | 4.5/5[4] |
| Resident Advisor | 4.5/5[3] |
The EP received critical acclaim from music critics. Mike Coleman of Fact gave The Bells Sketch 4 and a half "records" out of 5, saying "The Bells Sketch is a complex thing – beautiful and difficult, its glitch-peppered oddities are addictive, but bursting at the seams with a desire to experiment and a complete lack of compromise."[4] Mike Powell of Pitchfork said of the EP: "I think it's both [brilliant and a high-concept mess], but I really like high-concept messes."[2]
Resident Advisor also gave the album 4 and a half stars out of 5. Speaking of the EP, critic Oli Marlow said: "Deliciously weird, off-key and superbly layered, James Blake's debut outing on Hessle Audio manages to succinctly justify the hype his work is now receiving."[3] In 2010, Pitchfork named The Bells Sketch the eighth best album of the year, along with fellow EPs CMYK and Klavierwerke; the website was "amazed" at how Blake released three EPs in one year, all of different styles.[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Bells Sketch" | 4:18 |
| 2. | "Buzzard & Kestrel" | 5:43 |
| 3. | "Give a Man a Rod" | 4:36 |
References
- "The Bells Sketch – EP by James Blake". iTunes. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- Powell, Mike (25 February 2010). "James Blake: "The Bells Sketch"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- Marlow, Oli (17 March 2010). "James Blake – The Bells Sketch". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- Coleman, Mike (8 March 2010). "James Blake: The Bells Sketch EP". Fact. Archived from the original on 16 January 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- Bevan, David (12 May 2011). "James Blake: "Give A Man A Rod (Second Version)"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- Powell, Mike (16 December 2010). "Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2010". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 February 2012.