That James Blake has included a Joni Mitchell cover in his live sets says a lot about his mindset as a musician. Bursting onto the UK indie electronic scene with a series of EPs that showcased a talent for unconventional beats, Blake's experimental early work laid the foundation for a surprisingly accessible debut LP—a self-titled project that cast him as a next-gen singer-songwriter who favors electronics over a guitar. His Mercury Prize-winning 2013 album Overgrown was a triumph of post-dubstep, twisting dark piano ballads into labyrinthine productions that reward multiple listens. And both of his critically acclaimed follow-ups, 2016’s The Colour in Anything and 2019’s Assume Form, were immaculate meditations on intimacy, tension, and mood. His most recent compositions, 2020’s “You’re Too Precious” and “Are You Even Real,” are exquisitely—if surprisingly—uplifting, with hummable pop melodies and dreamy instrumentals that feel soothing and bathed in light.