This Is Our Jam: James Blake, “Give A Man A Rod (Second Version)”

James Blake’s self titled debut LP was perhaps needlessly polemical. Hyperbolic praise of Blake’s cavernous soul-searching was met by dance purists who lamented that he had lost his way. While I’ve certainly been accused of falling into the “hyperbolic praise” camp, there remains something truly exciting about a Blake track that returns to his bass music roots. “Give A Man A Rod (Second Version)” is a new mix of a track that first appeared on last year’s Bells Sketch EP, and fully embodies the obfuscated vocal approach of that time period. I’m pretty sure he’s repeating “Motherfucker,” but that's as intelligible as he’s going to get here. Now that we know what Blake can do when left alone with a mic, hearing his angelic voice dissected and chopped is all the more pleasing. (Boiler Room via Pitchfork)