James Blake Joins Universal Republic Records for US Release

Self-Titled Debut Available Today

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC RECORDS is proud to announce the U.S. signing of the 22-year-old UK phenomenon, JAMES BLAKE. His self-titled debut album will be available immediately via iTunes and other digital retailers TODAY.

“while not failing to showcase his talent as a pianist.”

JAMES BLAKE caused quite a stir all over the globe with his hypnotic, heartfelt, and heavenly cover of Feist's "Limit To Your Love." The song has reached Top 5 on iTunes songs chart in several international territories, and the video has also racked up over 2.5 million views. In addition, the album has stormed its way into iTunes Top 5 in Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Ireland, and Austria since its February 4th release.

With "Limit To Your Love", BLAKE creates a lush, lilting, and lavish aural dreamscape where sparse piano and flourishes of electronica prove utterly alluring. He finds a crossroads between organic elegance and synth ecstasy, while enjoying the silence just as much as a profound, potent chorus. "Limit To Your Love" is only one piece of BLAKE's undeniable and unique mosaic of sounds, styles, and soul. The whole puzzle becomes clear on his self-titled debut.

Rising through the ranks of London's Dubstep scene, BLAKE started off as a DJ in various clubs. However, in 2010, he started making a big splash with a trio of EPs. He won over tastemakers such as Pitchfork, Stereogum, and Radio 1's DJ Gilles. In addition, he was selected as one of three artists for the esteemed BRITs Critics' Choice Award and the BBC Sound of 2011 poll. iTunes selected him as their "Electronic Artist of the Year" and his EP, Klavierwekre, was their "Breakthrough Electronic Album."

The U.S. is also primed and ready to embrace Blake as critical acclaim continues to pour in. At the same time NPR proclaimed "James Blake is poised to flip the electronic world on its head in 2011," he was also named Rolling Stone's "Artist of the Week," and Brooklyn Vegan gives an apt description, "James Blake falls somewhere between a more minimalist version of Burial fronted by the vocal layerings of Bon Iver's "Woods," while not failing to showcase his talent as a pianist." With a sound that's evocative of trip hop and classic pop, BLAKE has something exciting in store for the world. This is simply the start though…

With his self-titled debut on the way in the U.S., there's absolutely no limit to where JAMES BLAKE will go.

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