James Blake escaped the major label labyrinth. Now, he's got an album to show for it

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“I think what makes a good rollout is the right songs get the love they deserve,” James Blake said, over a Friday evening call.He’s in the midst of yet another album rollout, one of many in his storied career.It’s the part artists can dread, but he doesn’t seem to have too much of a problem with it.“I’ve really built up a community … it feels like I know the people I’m delivering this record to,” he continues.

“It’s shown up in the metrics; we just sold a U.K.run out in under a minute, sold out the f— New York show in pre-sale.

… I’ve never done that before.”“To be honest, it’s kind of emotional for me, seeing that they haven’t forgotten me,” he adds with a laugh.“Trying Times,” out Friday, feels like a return to form for Blake, who first entered the scene back in 2009 with the release of the 12-inch EP “Air & Lack Thereof” followed by three more EPs.The following self-titled album in 2011 bolstered his success and artistic ability.He spent the next decade receiving similar recognition, even snatching up a best rap performance Grammy Award for his work on “King’s Dead” in 2018.

The hit song came off the “Black Panther” soundtrack and saw him work alongside Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and Future.But he was also floating within the major label labyrinth, which often came with financial expectations that put artistic expression in the back seat.Music Pacific Electric is an ambitious entry into a Los Angeles venue landscape recovering from economic woes, yet has seen jolts of life.In April 2024, he finally left that system behind, announcing on Instagram that he had left his label and was — for the first time in just over a decade — signed to an independent label in the L.A.-based Good Boy Records.“It feels scary to go independent, but here we are,” he wrote at the time.

“Just trying to break free of the...