It can be really hard to understand the depth of Assume Form -as you can tell by the title- and James Blake in general. I mean, really, James Blake is so deep. His every project is like a book but Assume Form is more like experiencing magical realism. Its elements seem to be belonged to both this world and an alternate one. It has such a twisted structure like a book, you can start from any page you want and still the rest means a lot, every page may create a brand new structure. As soon as it was dropped, I listened to the whole album for like three days on repeat. It was a great experience. Mile High and Tell Them are the ones that got most of the attention. Blake produced both tracks with Metro Boomin. Travis Scott and Moses Sumney also contributed. I'm so OK with Scott-Blake collab since I've first heard STOP TRYING TO BE GOD from Astroworld. These two make a great team.
“Everything’s roses” is an idiom that describes a series of positive events, where everything is going especially well. James Blake uses this idiom to describe how his relationship with a person is flourishing to a point where it’s suspicious. The London native pairs the idiom with the overall theme of the song by doubting this ideal reality, as reiterated on the chorus:
(Oh, right now) Where’s the catch?
(Can’t fool me) Where’s the catch?
James Blake used another rose metaphor on his 2016 song “Love Me in Whatever Way” to describe flowing beauty.
Where the rose water passes and dry river flows
Where the rose water passes and dry river flows
Andre 3000 is on another level. He plays with words like he owns them.
“A burden in beautiful times, a garden snake (Sss)
Won't bite me, but frightens me like I know I'm ate
I know I ain't, I know it, ayy
Harmony, harmony, how many, how many
Days of amazin' will it be before it phases?
And I say, "I told you so" (Told you so)
Summer bee, summer bee buzzin'
Some'll be hovering over nothin'
All of a sudden it's fall and it's over, though
Come with me, come with me, calming me down
Be chamomile, calamine lotion
Camel motion, humpin' on the flo' (Yeah) ..."
What an insane flow. His bar may be one of the most powerful bars I've heard so far. Completely clean. Completely unique. Completely tempting. Again in James Blake's spiritual and mystical universe, things begin to gain different meanings again. There is something subversive in his space that can ruin his peace – depression, which acts as a “burden in beautiful times.” Andre is frightened of being bitten/eaten/consumed by this darkness manifest as a snake. Clever homophone here: he is so frightened that he knows he’s “ate” already, or he’s so scared it’s like he’s “eight” years old again.
The other day, a fan asked James Blake on Instagram: Will you use neuralink? He answered: "My brain is already connected to computers, I'm trying to learn to connect to humans." That's how Where's the Catch and Assume Form in general has become one of the greatest work of the computer minded genius.
Lyrics:
[Intro: Sample]
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Can't ne-, can't ne-, can't ne-, can't ne-
Can't nev-, can't nev-, can't nev-, can't nev-
Can't never, can't never, can't never, can't never
[Verse 1: James Blake]
We delay the show, we kiss so long
We breathe through the nose 'til the breath is gone
And everything slows, everything's rose now
You use both hands, I use both hands
We meet in the middle, we meet in the sand
And everything's ghost, everything's ghost now
Every, everything's rose now
[Chorus: James Blake]
(Alright now) Where's the catch?
(Can't fool me) Where's the catch?
There must be, there must be a catch
[Interlude: André 3000]
Hey, alright, now this may be a little bit heady
And, y'know, I hate heady-ass verses
I wrote this shit, so here we go
Yo
[Verse 2: André 3000]
All my pets are mystic, keeps me in a cage (Cage)
Aww, my head is twisted, keeps me spinnin' 'round for days (Days)
Exorcism, pessimism has arisen
There's no reason really, treason to myself so silly
So perfect, so perfect, so why do I look for curtains?
Uncertain but certainly false alarm's alertin'
A burden in beautiful times, a garden snake (Sss)
Won't bite me, but frightens me like I know I'm ate
I know I ain't, I know it, ayy
Harmony, harmony, how many, how many
Days of amazin' will it be before it phases?
And I say, "I told you so" (Told you so)
Summer bee, summer bee buzzin'
Some'll be hovering over nothin'
All of a sudden it's fall and it's over, though (Phew)
Come with me, come with me, calming me down
Be chamomile, calamine lotion
Camel motion, humpin' on the flo' (Yeah)
Tumbleweed, tumbleweed
Wanna leave before the avaricious take over the city
We build and discover gold
Alchemists make it silver before you know it
Negative nickels until it's void
Aluminum foil it back to soil, oh yeah
[Chorus: James Blake]
(Alright now)
Where's the catch?
(Fire, fire)
[Bridge: James Blake & André 3000]
But everything's rose, everything's rose
Everything's rose now
(Isn't it brighter?)
But everything's rose (Everything)
Everything's rose (Everything)
Everything's rose now
(Everything-thing)
Everything's rose (Everything-thing)
Everything's rose (Everything-thing)
Everything's rose now
Can you trust me?
But-but, every-everything-thing's rose
(Everything is rose)
Every-everything-thing's rose
(Everything is)
But-but, every-everything-thing's rose
(Everything's is rose)
Every-everything-thing's rose
(Now)
Every-everything-thing's rose
But-but, every-everything-thing's rose
(Alright now)
Everything, everything
Everything, everything
[Chorus: James Blake]
(Alright now) Where's the catch?
(Can't fool me) Where's the catch?
There must be, there must be a catch
[Outro]
(Alright now)
You can learn more about James Blake here:
About The Curator - Mert Turan
I was born on the day "Evil Empire" album by Rage Against the Machine was released and I brought those lucky bastards 3 Grammy nominations. I live in Ankara, Turkey and study Philosophy at Middle East Technical University. I have worked professionally in the music industry for more than 4 years, specializing in studio recording, sound editing and mixing. I previously worked for musicto both as an intern and a curator. During my internship with musicto I gained valuable experience on the music business, social media and community management. I love being a part of this community.
