James Blake began his final year at Goldsmiths in September 2009 studying popular music while recording songs in his bedroom. In July 2009, he attended the Latymer School and released his debut single "Air and Lack Thereof" on Hemlock Audio. It was a firm favorite with Gilles Peterson from BBC Radio 1, and Blake was invited to do a special mix on Peterson's worldwide show, which included an exclusive Mount Kimbie track.
Blake released his debut EP The Bells Sketch on 8 March 2010 on Hessle Audio, followed soon after by CMYK on 31 May 2010 and Klavierwerke on 10 October 2010, both on R&S Records. All three EPs were met with significant critical acclaim: BBC's Nick Grimshaw chose CMYK as his Record of the Week, the title track of CMYK was ranked 24th on Frontier Psychiatrist's top 40 songs of the year, and all three of Blake's 2010 EPs were collectively ranked 8th on Pitchfork's top 50 albums of 2010.
On 4 February 2011, Blake released his self-titled debut LP, James Blake, via ATLAS and A&M. Three singles were released for the album: "Limit to Your Love," "The Wilhelm Scream," and "Lindisfarne"/"Unluck". The album was very well-received by critics: on 29 September 2010, BBC's Zane Lowe made "Limit To Your Love" his "Hottest Record in the World," Pitchfork awarded the album Best New Music and ranked it the 12th best album of 2011 on their year-end list, and it was nominated for the 2011 Mercury Prize.
On 7 October 2011, Blake released his fourth EP, Enough Thunder, via ATLAS and A&M. Two singles were released for the EP: "Fall Creek Boys Choir," a collaboration between Blake and Bon Iver, and "A Case of You," a cover of Joni Mitchell. On 12 December 2011, Blake released another EP through R&S, Love What Happened Here.
Timeless
James Blake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't be selfless
I'm acting my age
You know you slide out when you slide in with graceful shadow
Timeless
Timeless
The first line "Timeless, timeless" in James Blake's "Timeless" represents the cyclical nature of time and how some moments in time can feel like they last forever. The repetition of the word "timeless" reinforces this idea and also makes a poetic statement about the ephemeral nature of time. The next line, "I can't be selfless," signifies that the singer is grappling with their own sense of identity and selflessness. The following line, "I'm acting my age," could mean that the singer is reconciling with the inevitability of getting older but also trying to act in accordance with their age.
The line "You know you slide out when you slide in with graceful shadow" is somewhat ambiguous but may refer to how people can shift between different characteristics or personas quite easily but leave an indelible mark behind them. There's a sense of overlap and fluidity between the different identities the singer may possess. Overall, the song creates an ethereal mood that is accentuated by Blake's vocal delivery and the sparse, haunting instrumentation.
Line by Line Meaning
Timeless, timeless
This moment is timeless and will never fade away.
I can't be selfless
I am unable to prioritize others over myself.
I'm acting my age
I am behaving in a way that is expected of someone my age.
You know you slide out when you slide in with graceful shadow
You become invisible and undetected when you blend in smoothly with your surroundings.
Timeless
This moment is timeless and will never fade away.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES BLAKE LITHERLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind