INTERVIEWSHear James Blake Come on Strong in New 'Retrograde' Single

Post-dubstep soulster announces 'Overgrown' LP

At last, James Blake has revealed the details of his forthcoming sophomore album. Overgrown will be out April 8 on Republic and we can now experience the first official taste of the long-awaited platter thanks to BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe. He shared a song called "Retrograde" today and while it's the sort of post-dubsteppy alt-R&B we expected, it does indeed sound more aggressive than his understated self-titled debut, as he told the NME it would be.

As piano hits and handclaps build, Blake's tortured moan develops into a soulful coo as he urges a woman, "So show me why you're strong. Ignore everybody else. We're alone now." He sings that last bit with lecherous intent as the synths swell to a pushy surge and it's clear the gentle songsmith is embracing more extreme dynamics on this go-around. Take a trip with James, but don't say we didn't warn you. Oh, and watch for the video to arrive on Sunday, February 10, 5 p.m. GMT via Blake's official YouTube channel.

James Blake tour dates:

April 14 - Indio, CA @ Coachella
April 16 - San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine
April 18 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre
April 21 - Indio, CA @ Coachella
April 23 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune
April 24 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
April 25 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
April 27 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
April 28 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
April 29 - Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
May 1 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
May 2 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
May 3 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
May 4 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
May 6 - Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
May 8 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues Boston
May 9 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
May 11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
May 12 - Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
May 13 - Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle
May 14 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade