WXPN Features James Blake as the XPN Artist To Watch for March

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Created on Tuesday, 01 March 2011 12:37

This London-based producer and singer-songwriter is a classically trained pianist whose music is infused with innovation and originality. James Blake has begun to make a name for himself across the United Kingdom and United States alike. His inventive dubstep-style tracks have been rising quickly in popularity, and for good reason. Blake’s eerie background sounds, haunting lyrics, and use of electronic effects to create jarring melodies that resonate into a truly unique and breathtaking sound leaves listeners wondering where they will be taken next, and his general disregard of usual convention creates a completely unique listening experience. Featured as one of the BBC’s Sound of 2011 most promising new artists, a "Rolling Stone" Artist of the Week in December and a four-star review in "The Guardian" for his self-titled album, James Blake proves that he shows, and will continue to show, his knack for redefining the genre of popular music.

“While Blake is working within the electronica convention,” says Bruce Warren, Assistant General Manager of Programming for WXPN, “he brings a unique singer-songwriter and soul music perspective in to the mix of his work, which is singular and outstanding in its voice.”

Dan Reed says, “James Blake is a really remarkable artist. He deftly combines many disparate musical styles, and the result is very unique.”

For more on the XPN Artists To Watch series and this month’s featured artist, visit WXPN Artist To Watch

Since 2003, the XPN Artists To Watch series has been a reflection of WXPN’s commitment to nurturing fresh, new talent and exposing listeners to the best new music. Each month, the XPN Artists To Watch series spotlights a different up-and-coming performer who has produced an album or body of work that demonstrates outstanding vision, creativity and songwriting ability. Month-long on-air promotion is combined with online features to help audiences discover each artist.

WXPN, the nationally recognized leader in Triple A radio and the premier guide for discovering new and significant artists in rock, blues, roots and folk, is the non-commercial, member-supported radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. WXPN produces World Cafe®, public radio’s most popular program of popular music hosted by David Dye and syndicated by NPR, and the Peabody Award winning Kids Corner hosted by Kathy O’Connell. WXPN also produces the alternative rock service, Y-Rock On XPN (yrockonxpn.org) as its secondary radio channel in HD. WXPN serves the greater Philadelphia area at 88.5 FM, the Lehigh Valley at 104.9, Worton/Baltimore at 90.5 FM, Lancaster/York at 88.7 FM, Harrisburg at 99.7 FM and the world via online streaming at XPN.org.