Enough Thunder

Dubstep moved very quickly from the putative next-big-thing of electronic music to a punchline. (Literally: there's an entire subgenre of internet memes based on making fun of dubstep's idiosyncracies.) It seems unlikely that James Blake rush-released this eclectic EP so soon after his self-titled debut album just to distance himself from the style, but it does seem to go out of its way to focus itself on Blake's other influences. In particular, a piano-and-vocals version of Joni Mitchell's lovelorn classic "A Case Of You" and "Fall Creek Boys Choir," a collaboration with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, focus on Blake's singer-songwriter side. Elsewhere, "Once We All Agree" and "Not Long Now" go even more minimalist than earlier gems like "The Wilhelm Scream," sounding like some kind of fantasy collaboration between Steve Reich and Donny Hathaway. Those attracted to the sultry R&B elements of James Blake may find this 25-minute EP too diffuse and experimental, but the pensive title track, a heartfelt piano ballad showcasing his genuinely remarkable voice, might be direct enough to win them back.