Trying Times

about this album

Trying Times is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter and producer James Blake, released on 13 March 2026 through Good Boy Records. The album marks his first independent full-length release after leaving Polydor. It features guest appearances by Dave and Monica Martin and was executively produced by Jameela Jamil, Blake's romantic partner of several years. According to Metacritic, Trying Times received "generally favorable" reviews from music critics, while the Official Charts Company wrote that the album received "rave reviews". Trying Times was promoted with the release of two singles, "Death of Love" on 22 January 2026 and "I Had a Dream She Took My Hand" on 12 February 2026, as well as one promotional single, "Doesn't Just Happen", released on Spotify on 12 March 2026. "Death of Love" peaked at number twenty-six on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart, while "Doesn't Just Happen" peaked at number nine. The latter also reached number sixty-six on the UK Singles Chart. The album debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart, making it Blake's highest charting album debut in the country to date. Work on Trying Times began "a few years" before its release; some songs were started during the pandemic. Blake started writing "Death of Love" in 2020 and performed it live a few times in 2022. He attributed his completion and release of multiple projects between 2020 and Trying Times's release to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In an interview published in

why this is interesting

# On James Blake's Latest Work This album warrants attention as a pivotal moment in Blake's artistic trajectory—his first independent release represents genuine creative autonomy after years within major label structures. The collaboration with Jameela Jamil as executive producer introduces a fresh perspective that challenges Blake's established sonic vocabulary, while guest contributions from Dave and Monica Martin expand the album's emotional and textural range. What emerges is a work that interrogates intimacy and vulnerability on Blake's own terms, stripped of commercial compromise. The critical consensus suggests he's achieved something rare: a mature artist simultaneously honoring his introspective foundations while pursuing unfamiliar creative territory. It's essential listening for anyone interested in how established musicians navigate independence and

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