James Blake special performance at The Big Chill

James Blake ventured to some of London’s cutting edge dubstep clubs; DMZ and FWD>> around 2007 and was truly taken aback by the fresh sounds and atmosphere. Already studying popular music at Goldsmiths, the injection of inspiration from DJs such as Mala, Coki and Digital Mystikz propelled Blake down a path that led to the creation the now distinctive sound, which blended the electronic vibrancy of the emerging dubstep scene with the harmonies found in his teenage Motown-filled record collection.

Plays of his early singles on Rinse FM and feverous blogger attention sent Blake on a course which landed him several accolades. “CMYK” scored a Record of the Week from Nick Grimshaw and Single of the Year (2010) at Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards, Blake’s reworking of the Feist track “Limit to your Love” was the Hottest Record in the World according to Zane Lowe. Following a year of concentrated recording Blake released his self-titled debut in February 2011 and the record quickly went on to become a top 10 hit, whilst the same year also saw Blake pick up a nomination for the Critics’ Choice category at the Brit Awards.

With contemporaries such as Jamie Woon, Digital Mystikz, Jamie xx and DJ Distance already confirmed for The Big Chill, Blake is a perfect addition to the now expanded festival.