Hive Five: Our Daily Listicle of Musical Musings

On the surface, James Blake’s aesthetic looks simple: The British singer tends to recede into the music he creates, his voice a mere compliment to a synthetic world of fluid keys and midtempo grooves. However, Blake isn’t just some dude whimpering behind a piano. Out this week, Overgrown is a versatile set of pondering reflection, set atop a spacious blend of airy electro-pop. Here are five things we noticed about Blake’s highly anticipated sophomore LP.

1. He Knows His Hip-Hop

On “Take a Fall For Me,” for instance, Blake crafts a hypnotic loop evocative of mid-1990s Wu-Tang Clan. Perhaps on purpose, Blake steps back and allows RZA to spit lovelorn rhymes about the one who got away. “I sent him the instrumental, and apparently he’s heard of me, so that’s nice,” Blake told us last month. Bonus track “Every Day I Ran” is a hollowed mash-up of rap samples.

2. You Might Miss the Brian Eno Collaboration

Eno’s recent album, Lux, felt spacious and modest at the same time. In certain moments, the music was so faint that you didn’t know if it was still playing. On “Digital Lion,” Eno and Blake unite for an atmospheric dubstep number. We still don’t know what Eno contributed, but he probably wants it that way.

3. Dubstep is Totally a Thing of the Past

After the release of his self-titled 2011 debut, Blake released two EPs -- Enough Thunder; Love What Happened Here -- that delved deeper into R&B and dubstep. On Overgrown, Blake manages to unify those genres without sounding conflicted.

4. He Sounds Happier

Mind you, it’s a James Blake album, so he can’t sound but so happy. Still, he seems more assured on Overgrown than he did on his self-titled debut, as evidenced by his enveloping first single, “Retrograde,” which brings to mind the intimacy of a relationship. The same goes for the LP’s expansive title track.

5. You Still Feel Like You’re Underwater, Just Not As Deep

Though there were a few standouts on James Blake (“Give Me My Month,” “The Wilhelm Scream”), it was a largely esoteric affair suited for music nerds. With Overgrown, Blake reaches for broader sounds while remaining true to himself.

Overgrown is out April 9 on ATLAS/Republic Records.