James Blake - Trying Times

Released 13th March 2026

'Trying Times' is James Blakes seventh studio album and features British rapper Dave, and singer-songwriter Monica Martin. Written between Los Angeles and London, its a record about being in love whilst battling the limits of the self against a backdrop of global uncertainty. He explores the tension between intimacy and isolation, the pressure to curate and perform even as everything, inside and out, feels fragile and precarious. Themes of reflection, both literally and metaphorically, run through the records visual presentation, as Blake holds a mirror to the contradictions of modern connection - how we see ourselves, how were seen by others, and what gets lost in between. Its about the disorienting loop of joy and dread: feeling safe in love, yet knowing the bubble could burst at any moment; struggling to stay present while global anxiety and private doubt pull you in different directions. A meditation on love, identit