Just as dubstep started to get bogged down in drearily derivative mainstream production circa 2009, James Blake stepped in and took the genre into new territory. The handful of EPs that he produced around then – most notably 'CMYK' – laid synths, indie vocals and canny R&B samples over dub-inspired beats, to startling effect. His self-titled debut album and last year's follow-up 'Overgrown' displayed his singer-songwriter chops, emphasising piano and vocal lines rather than beats and samples. Little surprise, then, that the young Londoner is as comfortable with a band as he is behind decks. This appearance at the Showcase will see him play a live set, with support from Dan Frost and Airhead (both signed to his label 1-800 Dinosaur).
