James Blake announces tour dates following the release of his new album, Trying Times. This is the English artist’s seventh studio album and the first time he goes entirely independent.
The Retrograde singer is back with a more direct and personal style with his new album Trying Times. While the disc mixes with Blake’s typical style of minimalistic electronic, experimental R&B and introspective soul, there is still a twist. In his latest production we are able to find new elements such as a more organic instrumentation with the addition of guitars and choruses.
Furthermore, comparing it to his other albums, there is a less prominent dependence on external vocal effects. As well as a more balance between the emotional side and the dancing style.
In Trying Times we hear a more direct and human Blake while being under his typical musical atmosphere. Some of the main disc’s themes surround worrying about today’s world situation, love relationships and the search for connection in hard times.
In a recent interview with Variety, James spoke about what his new disc was about and what he wanted to transmit through his music. “To be honest, I don’t think this album generally is about the state of the world — it’s not that overtly political, although it deals with a little bit of that. I think the theme that persists through it is reconciling your private life — your hopes, your dreams, your relationship, your love, your friendships — with what’s happening outside and how much you allow it into your own world.”
“So, I when I talk about “love in a time of chaos,” the reason I keep saying that phrase is because I think we can’t really imagine the future — what does it even look like? We can’t imagine it. The hope is that we ride it out, nature heals, and love and empathy persevere as we go through it,” James Blake continued talking about Trying Times to Variety.
James Blake’s Trying Times tracklist
- Walk Out Music
- Death of Love
- I Had a Dream She Took My Hand
- Trying Times
- Make Something Up
- Didn’t Come To Argue
- Days Go By
- Doesn’t Just Happen
- Obsession
- Rest Of Your Life
- Through The High Wire
- Feel It Again
- Just A Little Higher
Blake on his new independent record label
His latest production was launched on March 13, 2026, as his seventh studio album. Moreover, it has a big change to it compared to his previous projects. The main reason for this comes with the fact that Blake launched his new disc completely under his own independent record label, Good Boy Records. With his new Trying Times, the British singer and songwriter enter his new musical and business era. Now, James Blake announces tour dates following his latest album drop.
In the same interview with Variety, James Blake talked about how he felt when creating his own label and leaving after many years. “I left my label, I left my management, I left the whole system and just took a big risk by setting up a new team with an indie label [Good Boy Records] who hadn’t previously worked with an artist like myself, and then I started to assemble the rest of the team.”
“Even understanding what a team looked like was something outside of my reality, initially. And leaving the standard ticketing system to use direct-to-fan methods — I mean, there’s so many strands to this, and it was a huge gamble, not knowing whether those things were going to pan out,” James Blake admitted on an interview with Variety.
America’s show dates for James Blake’s new tour
- 27 May – The Tabernacle, Atlanta (Ga)
- 29 May – Brooklyn Paramount, New York (Ny)
- 30 May – Brooklyn Paramount, New York (Ny)
- 31 May – Roadrunner, Boston (Ma)
- 2 June – The Anthem, Washington (Dc)
- 4 June – Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia (Pa)
- 6 June – History, Toronto (On)
- 8 June – The Salt Shed, Chicago (Il)
- 11 June – The Greek Theatre, Berkeley (Ca)
- 12 June – The Greek Theatre, Lost Angeles (Ca)
James Blake’s new tour’s Europe dates
- 29 September – O2 Academy Brixton, London (UK)
- 30 September – O2 Academy Brixton, London (UK)
- 5 October – Tivolivredenburg, Utrecht (NL)
- 6 October – Tivolivredenburg, Utrecht (NL)
- 8 October – Cirque Royal, Brussels (BE)
- 9 October – Cirque Royal, Brussels (BE)
- 12 October – Le Grand Rex, Paris (FR)
- 13 October – Le Grand Rex, Paris (FR)
- 15 October – Astra Kulturhaus, Berlin (DE)
- 16 October – Astra Kulturhaus, Berlin (DE)
- 18 October – E-Werk, Cologne (DE)
- 21 October – Swg3 Galvanizers, Glasgow (UK)
- 25 October – New Century, Manchester (UK)
- 26 October – New Century, Manchester (UK)
- 28 October – O2 Academy, Bristol (UK)
- 29 October – O2 Academy, Bristol (UK)
Click here if you want to know more about Harry Styles’ new album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.
