James Blake showcases his new album in a soulful performance at the Electric Factory

James Blake | photo by Breanna Keohane for WXPN

After three years of work, James Blake has recently resurfaced with a new album and brought an emotion-filled set in front of a packed house at the Electric Factory on Friday, October 1st.

Los Angeles native Moses Sumney opened the show with atmospheric folk tunes that set the mood for the night. Between playing guitar and looping in multiple layers of sound, his Bon Iver-like style of music introduced a complimentary sound to what Blake would soon showcase.

After Sumney warmed up the crowd, Blake took the stage. Joined by a drummer and guitarist, Blake had a set-up of two keys with pedals to create his R&B / techno sound. While looping in vocals and keys to create his multi-faceted sound, he played a combo of older songs and new ones off his new album The Colour in Anything, such as “Timeless.” While his ambient sound was filled with poetic lines of heartbreak, love and internal battles, the set sent a wave of emotions through the crowd.

The album was released back in May and includes soulful collaborations with folk-artist Justin Vernon, who is no stranger to Blake, and R&B icon Frank Ocean. With little promotion leading up to its release, the album quickly gained attention from across multiple genres. Additionally, Blake had also made contributions to Beyonce’s Lemonade only weeks before.

The hype around Blake’s album was illustrated through the entranced crowd at the Electric Factory with the venue filled from the floor to the upper balcony. His heartfelt performance was nothing short of what could be expected. Check out the photos below for a full recap: