James Blake just dropped his seventh studio album “Trying Times” on March 13, 2026 — and the music world is already paying attention.
This isn’t just another release in a long discography. “Trying Times” is the first album Blake has made completely on his own terms, released through his own independent label Good Boy Records after a very public and difficult split from Republic Records in 2024. That backstory matters — because you can hear it in every track.
What Is “Trying Times” About?
At its core, “Trying Times” is an album about love as survival. Not love as romance or passion — but love as the thing that keeps you going when the world feels broken.
The album title is a double meaning: it refers to the difficult state of the modern world, but also to Blake’s own personal struggles — his battles with depression, the frustrations of the music industry, and the question of what it means to keep creating when the system around you feels rigged against artists.
Blake has spoken openly for years about mental health and the inequality of streaming economics. On this album, instead of just talking about it in interviews, he put all of it into the music.
Full Tracklist — James Blake “Trying Times” (2026)
| Song Number | Track Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Walk Out Music |
| 2 | Death of Love |
| 3 | I Had a Dream She Took My Hand |
| 4 | Trying Times |
| 5 | Make Something Up |
| 6 | Didn’t Come to Argue |
| 7 | Days Go By |
| 8 | Doesn’t Just Happen (feat. Dave) |
| 9 | Obsession |
| 10 | Rest of Your Life |
| 11 | Through the High Wire |
| 12 | Feel It Again |
| 13 | Just a Little Higher |
Produced by: James Blake, Dom Maker, and Jameela Jamil Label: Good Boy Records Runtime: 13 tracks
Trying Times Track-by-Track Highlights
Walk Out Music
The album opens with Blake’s voice processed through warped, stuttering electronics. It’s disorienting in the best way — like waking up and not knowing where you are. It sets the emotional tone immediately: something is off, and Blake knows it.
Death of Love
One of the album’s most striking moments. Blake samples Leonard Cohen’s final recording, “You Want It Darker,” and rebuilds it into something entirely new — a fractured meditation on the moment before heartbreak solidifies into acceptance. It’s haunting and heavy.
Trying Times (Title Track)
The emotional anchor of the record. Over church-organ chords and arpeggiated guitars, Blake sings about love as the one force worth staying alive for. The production feels spiritual — almost gospel — which gives the vulnerability in the lyrics a sense of purpose rather than despair.
Make Something Up
The album’s philosophical centerpiece. Blake wrestles with creativity itself — the frustration of living in an era where every problem feels “unprecedented” but the solutions feel exhausted. The production is jangly and slightly off-kilter, sitting somewhere between acoustic and electronic, which suits the uncertainty of the theme perfectly.
Didn’t Come to Argue (feat. Monica Martin)
A song in two halves. Blake opens with one of the most raw admissions on the record, and then Monica Martin takes over for a chorus that approaches heartbreak with something unexpected — a shrug. The two voices move in completely different directions without ever resolving, which makes it feel more honest than most break-up songs.
Days Go By
The standout track. Blake samples Dizzee Rascal’s debut single “I Luv U” — one of the defining songs of early UK grime — and flips it into something icy and melancholic. Where Dizzee was bouncy and boisterous, Blake makes the same source material feel like looking at the past through frosted glass. It’s technically brilliant and emotionally devastating.
Doesn’t Just Happen (feat. Dave)
The coiled-spring moment of the album. UK rapper Dave brings his characteristic introspective flow over a tense, string-driven beat that feels like a held breath. It’s the darkest track on the record, and the most viscerally affecting. Dave’s verse matches Blake’s emotional register perfectly.
Just a Little Higher
The closing track and the most politically direct thing Blake has ever put to music. He steps outside his own head and looks at the world around him — the division, the misinformation, the collective confusion of modern life — and asks, simply, how we’re supposed to move forward together. It’s understated, but it lands.
What Makes This Album Different From Everything Blake Has Done Before
James Blake has made seven albums now, and each one has represented a different version of himself:
- James Blake (2011) — post-dubstep electronic experimentalism, pure sonic innovation
- Overgrown (2013) — Mercury Prize winner, more song-focused, Blake as a vocalist emerging
- The Colour in Anything (2016) — sprawling, melancholic, 17 tracks of introspection
- Assume Form (2019) — love album, warmer and more optimistic than anything before
- Friends That Break Your Heart (2021) — pop moves, star collaborations, mixed reception
- Playing Robots Into Heaven (2023) — a deliberate pivot back to club music, intentionally polarizing
- Trying Times (2026) — the first album made entirely on his own terms, for himself
What separates “Trying Times” from the rest is not its sound — it’s the freedom behind the sound. Blake has said that label pressure was responsible for decisions on his last several albums that he wasn’t fully comfortable with. Without that pressure, the album doesn’t chase any trend or demographic. It just sounds like James Blake, distilled.
What Critics Are Saying
Early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with the album earning a critic score of around 81/100 across major publications.
DIY Magazine called it “a record that couldn’t be more consistently him” — a collection of everything Blake does well, all in one place.
Slant Magazine described it as “a welcome addition to both his discography and the anxious times we live in,” noting its “clarity, honesty, and depth.”
Far Out Magazine gave it 4/5, noting that while the second half loses some momentum after a powerful opening, the album overall showcases more sides of Blake’s artistry than any previous record.
The Irish Times went further, calling it “quietly mesmerising” and noting that Blake’s decision to go independent is “audible” in the music itself — a liberation that gives the record an authenticity his recent work sometimes lacked.
User reviews on Album of the Year have been similarly warm, with a user score of 83/100 based on nearly 500 ratings in the first 24 hours — unusually high for a day-one reception.
The Story Behind the Independent Release
The decision to self-release “Trying Times” didn’t come from nowhere. Blake had a very public falling out with the major label system in 2024, following years of frustration over streaming economics and artist compensation.
In March 2024, Blake tweeted that “the brainwashing worked” in reference to how artists have been conditioned to accept low streaming royalties as normal. It was a pointed comment from someone who had spent years watching his own music generate massive revenue for platforms while the returns to him and other artists remained disproportionately small.
By releasing through Good Boy Records — his own imprint — Blake becomes one of the most prominent established artists to fully exit the major label system in recent years. The financial calculation is simple: he has a large, loyal audience that follows him regardless of playlist placement or label marketing. He doesn’t need the system anymore, and “Trying Times” is the proof of concept.
Where to Listen
“Trying Times” by James Blake is available now on all major streaming platforms:
- Spotify — search “James Blake Trying Times”
- Apple Music — available in lossless audio
- Amazon Music — available in Ultra HD
- YouTube Music — available with music video content
Physical vinyl and CD editions are available through Blake’s official store at jamesblake.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did James Blake release “Trying Times”?
Trying Times was released on March 13, 2026, through James Blake’s own independent label Good Boy Records.
How many tracks are on James Blake’s “Trying Times”?
The album contains 13 tracks, with a runtime of approximately 45 minutes.
Who features on “Trying Times”?
The album features UK rapper Dave on the track “Doesn’t Just Happen” and Monica Martin on “Didn’t Come to Argue.” The album was produced by James Blake alongside Dom Maker and Jameela Jamil.
Is “Trying Times” James Blake’s best album?
Critical consensus suggests it’s among his strongest work. Many reviewers consider it a more cohesive and authentic record than his recent output, with some calling it his best since Overgrown (2013). Its 81 critic score and 83 user score on Album of the Year in the first 24 hours reflect a very positive reception.
Why did James Blake leave his record label?
Blake departed from Republic Records in 2024 following years of public frustration over streaming royalties and the music industry’s treatment of artists. “Trying Times” is his first release on his own independent label, Good Boy Records.
What genre is “Trying Times”?
The album sits across Alternative R&B, Art Pop, and UK bass traditions. It blends electronic production with gospel influences, soul samples, grime references, and intimate singer-songwriter balladry — a summary of Blake’s entire career in a single record.
“Trying Times” is James Blake doing exactly what he wants, for the first time in his career. There are no compromises here, no demographic calculations, no label direction. What’s left is an album that sounds like someone who has been through something real and made art about it without flinching.
It won’t appeal to everyone. If you came for the club energy of “Playing Robots Into Heaven,” this record will feel like a cold shower. But if you’ve followed Blake from the beginning — if you’ve ever put on “Limit to Your Love” at 2am and felt it in your chest — “Trying Times” will feel like coming home.
Music News Listen now on Spotify | Apple Music
Heyyy, what’s up? I’m Riya! I’m all about that music vibe—sharing chill info on soundtracks and the latest updates. My mission?
Keeping it super simple and relatable so everyone can vibe with what I’m saying. Let’s get into it!