On the cover of James Blake's new single "Like The End" a massive ball of fire happily rests on an urban landscape as the sun sets. The emotional ballad opens with the solemn lyrics "As I separate my cardboard, set my taxes aside to fund another war, my spirit wakes up asking if we're spending what we can't afford."
Taken together, the ironic album art and the blunt lyrics make it clear that Blake is holding a mirror to the present, reflecting on the banality of life at what feels like the end of the road.
In the dramatic refrain, Blake repeats "Something's coming for us, and maybe we're not prepared that this might only be day one. But doesn't it feel like the end?" What that "something" may be is unspecified, however, one could fill in the blank with the plethora of uncertain outcomes that the world may face today.
Looking closely at the surrounding cityscape on the cover, one may notice that the flaming orb is actually The Sphere, a new tourist attraction and music venue that opened last year in Las Vegas, Nevada. With this added context, Blake's statement grows even more complex, perhaps unpacking how mass spectacles distract from urgent socio-political crises.
The song, which clocks out at just over five minutes, ends with swelling atonal strings and distant chimes, taking the suspenseful effect of the track to an unsettling climax.
"Like The End" by James Blake is out now everywhere. Listen to the full song below.
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