James Blake has been known to create music that makes listeners feel many different ways that are scattered amongst the wide-spanning “good-bad” spectrum. His vulnerability and elaborate songwriting stand out among his generation, but the English singer is looking to take things in a different direction with his new album Wind Down, available to purchase today (May 23). Created in collaboration with the German software company Endel and their signature AI engine, the project is aimed at helping listeners sleep by focusing on ambient sounds.
“The Wind Down soundscape I created with Endel lets me explore the more ambient side of my music and create a project to support people in a new way,” the 33-year-old said in a statement. The “Mile High” artist especially values the non-musical impact of it all, continuing, “It’s mesmerizing to hear how my music blends with the science-based sounds of Endel’s AI and I think we’ve invented something not just beautiful or even meaningful, but truly practical.”
Endel is no stranger to this concept or its derivatives, as the company previously worked with Grimes on her “AI Lullaby,” a music generator focused on sleep that was released in 2020. For James Blake, Wind Down arrives just seven months after his 2021 release Friends That Break Your Heart featuring SZA, JID, and more.
Listen to the “1st Soundscape” off of Wind Down above.
JID is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.