Blood

Submitted by nonesuch on
Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

Lianne La Havas's album Blood was inspired by her Jamaican and Greek family heritage and by Jamaica's love of grooves, rhythms, and syncopation. "The album demands, and rewards, all the attention you can give it," raves Rolling Stone. It's "a seductive blend of poetic lyricism, sultry vocals, and strong yet understated musicianship," says the Daily Beast. "La Havas is a powerhouse with a full heart," says NPR, "creating music that's sweeping, inspiring and downright fun."

Description

English singer/songwriter/guitarist Lianne La Havas's 2012 debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? won Album of the Year at iTunes UK as well as Barclaycard Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello Best Album nominations, along with tremendous critical acclaim. Nonesuch/Warner Bros. Records releases her new album, Blood, on July 31, 2015. 

When touring for Is Your Love Big Enough? came to a close, La Havas headed to Jamaica with her mother for a long-awaited holiday that evolved into an experience of self-discovery. She enjoyed emotional reunions with long-lost relatives; embraced Kingston's clubs; and even jammed in front of her family for the first time during a session with legendary dancehall/reggae producer Stephen McGregor. Exploring her roots inspired La Havas's writing. Lyrically, she says, the songs she wrote are almost all related to "the feeling of who you are and where you come from." And musically, La Havas took inspiration from Jamaica's love of grooves, rhythms, and syncopation.

McGregor ultimately joined in the making of Blood along with a rich collection of others. Produced by Adele/FKA twigs collaborator Paul Epworth and built upon an instrumental recording by Ninja Tunes trio The Invisible, the first single "Unstoppable" is a song that Lianne wrote to help to repair a relationship that she had ended.

Lianne La Havas's debut Is Your Love Big Enough? provided more highlights in its life-cycle than many artists experience in their entire career. The Los Angeles Times said, "Artists like Lianne La Havas remind us of the power of the artful lyric, the soulful (nonhistrionic) reading of said lyric, and the importance of smart, understated production. With Is Your Love Big Enough?, Miss La Havas vaults right to the big leagues. Repeated listenings only prove how strong and artful this collection is," and the New York Times praised her "voice that hints at Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu but is fully her own…It's rhythm as resilience and life force, an innate sense of confidence that makes even her bitter songs somehow reassuring."

That album led to a journey that encompassed more than 120 shows across Europe, North America, and Japan—including two sold-out London shows at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire. Artists who Lianne had admired soon admired her, to the point where she can call the likes of Prince and Bon Iver friends.

La Havas has recently made a succession of guest appearances. There's been another recording with Matt Hales on recent Aqualung track "Egg Shells"; guest vocal on Alt-J's "Warm Foothills" and Tourist's "Patterns"; and even an appearance as a female approximation of her friend in the video for "Where Is My Sex?" by The Kenneths. Most notable of all was La Havas's contribution to Prince's Art Official Age album, which were recorded over the course of a heady weekend at Paisley Park.

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Paul Epworth (1), Jamie Lidell & Lianne La Havas (2), Matt Hales (3–5, 8, 10), Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor (6), Mark Batson for One Unlimited Media Inc. (7, 9)
Additional Production by Matt Hales (2), Alex Shux (3)
Mixed at Mixsuite, UK by Mark “Spike” Stent (1), Electric Lady Studios by Tom Elmhirst (2–4, 6, 9), Strongroom by Ben Baptie (5, 7), Matt Hales (8, 10)
Mixing assistance provided by Geoff Swan (1), Joe Visciano (2–4,6,9), Drew Bang (5,7)
Recorded at The Church Studios, London (1); Red Bull Studios New York by Chris Tabron (2); The Garage, Pasadena (3–5, 8, 10); Dave’s Room, Los Angeles (3,4); Wendyhouse, London (5); Big Ship Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica (6); Cloud Nine Recording Retreat (7, 9)
Recording Assistance provided by Caleb Laven (2)
Additional recording at Wendyhouse Productions, London by Matt Hales (2)
Engineered by Matt Wiggins (1), Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor (6), Mark Batson & Aaron Fessel (7, 9)
Engineering assistance provided by Joe Hartwell-Jones (1)
Additional engineering at Urchin Studios by Dan Cox (9)

Mastered by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis, London

Track 3 contains an interpolation of "Hot Fun in the Summertime" (Stewart)

Photography by John-Paul Pietrus
Art Direction by Richard Welland, Mike Lythgoe & Lianne La Havas
Commissioned by Pixie Higson

Nonesuch Selection Number

550000

FormatRestrictions

This album is available from Nonesuch in the United States only. To order outside the US, click here.

ns_album_releasedate
Album Status
Artist Name
Lianne La Havas
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Lianne La Havas, vocals (1–10), guitar (1–10)
Paul Epworth, keyboards (1), bells (1), mellotron—harp & choir (1), programming (1)
Nikolaj Torp Larsen, piano (1) MiniMoog & vibraphone (1)
Dave Okumu, guitar (1), bass guitar (1)
Tom Herbert, guitar (1)
Leo Taylor, drums (1)
Sally Herbert, strings (1)
Oli Langford, Julia Singleton, Calina de la Mare, Ian Humphries, Everton Nelson, Frances Dewar, Alison Dods, violin (1)
Claire Orsler, Max Baillie, Clare Finnimore, viola (1)
Chris Worsley, Ian Burdge, cello (1)
Mike Kearsey, trombone (1)
Mark Brown, Colin Smith, baritone & tenor saxophones (1)
Ben Edwards, trumpet (1), flugelhorn (1)
Matt Hales, keyboard (2–4, 8, 10), bass (3, 10), programming (3–5, 8), backing vocals (5), keys (5)
Marion Ross III, trumpet (2)
Al Shux, programming (3)
Lucky Paul (Paul Taylor), drums (3, 4), percussion (4)
Ben Castle, saxophone (3)
Chris Storr, trumpet (3)
Chris Dagger, bass (4, 5), double bass (7)
Kennan O'Meara, backing vocals (5)
Howard Lawrence, backing vocals (5), keys (5)
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, strings (5, 10)
Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor, piano (6), bass (6), drum programming & SFX (6)
Rob Harvey , trombone (6)
Tom Walsh, trumpet (6)
Mark Batson, keyboards & drum programming (7, 9)
Trevor Lawrence Jr., additional drums (7, 9)

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
Price
12.00
UPC
825646101504
Label
MP3
Price
9.00
UPC
825646101597
Label
FLAC
Price
10.00
UPC
825646101573
Label
LP+MP3
UPC
825646101498
  • 550000

News & Reviews

  • Congratulations to Lianne La Havas, whose 2020 self-titled album has been named Best Album at the Ivor Novello Awards. The Ivors celebrate creative excellence by British and Irish songwriters and screen composers. The 66th awards presentation took place at Grosvenor House in London today.

  • Congratulations to Lianne La Havas, whose 2020 self-titled album has been nominated for Best Album at the Ivor Novello Awards. The Ivors celebrate creative excellence by British and Irish songwriters and screen composers. The 66th awards presentation will take place on Tuesday, September 21, from 11:30am BST at Grosvenor House, London.

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  • About This Album

    English singer/songwriter/guitarist Lianne La Havas's 2012 debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? won Album of the Year at iTunes UK as well as Barclaycard Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello Best Album nominations, along with tremendous critical acclaim. Nonesuch/Warner Bros. Records releases her new album, Blood, on July 31, 2015. 

    When touring for Is Your Love Big Enough? came to a close, La Havas headed to Jamaica with her mother for a long-awaited holiday that evolved into an experience of self-discovery. She enjoyed emotional reunions with long-lost relatives; embraced Kingston's clubs; and even jammed in front of her family for the first time during a session with legendary dancehall/reggae producer Stephen McGregor. Exploring her roots inspired La Havas's writing. Lyrically, she says, the songs she wrote are almost all related to "the feeling of who you are and where you come from." And musically, La Havas took inspiration from Jamaica's love of grooves, rhythms, and syncopation.

    McGregor ultimately joined in the making of Blood along with a rich collection of others. Produced by Adele/FKA twigs collaborator Paul Epworth and built upon an instrumental recording by Ninja Tunes trio The Invisible, the first single "Unstoppable" is a song that Lianne wrote to help to repair a relationship that she had ended.

    Lianne La Havas's debut Is Your Love Big Enough? provided more highlights in its life-cycle than many artists experience in their entire career. The Los Angeles Times said, "Artists like Lianne La Havas remind us of the power of the artful lyric, the soulful (nonhistrionic) reading of said lyric, and the importance of smart, understated production. With Is Your Love Big Enough?, Miss La Havas vaults right to the big leagues. Repeated listenings only prove how strong and artful this collection is," and the New York Times praised her "voice that hints at Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu but is fully her own…It's rhythm as resilience and life force, an innate sense of confidence that makes even her bitter songs somehow reassuring."

    That album led to a journey that encompassed more than 120 shows across Europe, North America, and Japan—including two sold-out London shows at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire. Artists who Lianne had admired soon admired her, to the point where she can call the likes of Prince and Bon Iver friends.

    La Havas has recently made a succession of guest appearances. There's been another recording with Matt Hales on recent Aqualung track "Egg Shells"; guest vocal on Alt-J's "Warm Foothills" and Tourist's "Patterns"; and even an appearance as a female approximation of her friend in the video for "Where Is My Sex?" by The Kenneths. Most notable of all was La Havas's contribution to Prince's Art Official Age album, which were recorded over the course of a heady weekend at Paisley Park.

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Lianne La Havas, vocals (1–10), guitar (1–10)
    Paul Epworth, keyboards (1), bells (1), mellotron—harp & choir (1), programming (1)
    Nikolaj Torp Larsen, piano (1) MiniMoog & vibraphone (1)
    Dave Okumu, guitar (1), bass guitar (1)
    Tom Herbert, guitar (1)
    Leo Taylor, drums (1)
    Sally Herbert, strings (1)
    Oli Langford, Julia Singleton, Calina de la Mare, Ian Humphries, Everton Nelson, Frances Dewar, Alison Dods, violin (1)
    Claire Orsler, Max Baillie, Clare Finnimore, viola (1)
    Chris Worsley, Ian Burdge, cello (1)
    Mike Kearsey, trombone (1)
    Mark Brown, Colin Smith, baritone & tenor saxophones (1)
    Ben Edwards, trumpet (1), flugelhorn (1)
    Matt Hales, keyboard (2–4, 8, 10), bass (3, 10), programming (3–5, 8), backing vocals (5), keys (5)
    Marion Ross III, trumpet (2)
    Al Shux, programming (3)
    Lucky Paul (Paul Taylor), drums (3, 4), percussion (4)
    Ben Castle, saxophone (3)
    Chris Storr, trumpet (3)
    Chris Dagger, bass (4, 5), double bass (7)
    Kennan O'Meara, backing vocals (5)
    Howard Lawrence, backing vocals (5), keys (5)
    Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, strings (5, 10)
    Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor, piano (6), bass (6), drum programming & SFX (6)
    Rob Harvey , trombone (6)
    Tom Walsh, trumpet (6)
    Mark Batson, keyboards & drum programming (7, 9)
    Trevor Lawrence Jr., additional drums (7, 9)

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Paul Epworth (1), Jamie Lidell & Lianne La Havas (2), Matt Hales (3–5, 8, 10), Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor (6), Mark Batson for One Unlimited Media Inc. (7, 9)
    Additional Production by Matt Hales (2), Alex Shux (3)
    Mixed at Mixsuite, UK by Mark “Spike” Stent (1), Electric Lady Studios by Tom Elmhirst (2–4, 6, 9), Strongroom by Ben Baptie (5, 7), Matt Hales (8, 10)
    Mixing assistance provided by Geoff Swan (1), Joe Visciano (2–4,6,9), Drew Bang (5,7)
    Recorded at The Church Studios, London (1); Red Bull Studios New York by Chris Tabron (2); The Garage, Pasadena (3–5, 8, 10); Dave’s Room, Los Angeles (3,4); Wendyhouse, London (5); Big Ship Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica (6); Cloud Nine Recording Retreat (7, 9)
    Recording Assistance provided by Caleb Laven (2)
    Additional recording at Wendyhouse Productions, London by Matt Hales (2)
    Engineered by Matt Wiggins (1), Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor (6), Mark Batson & Aaron Fessel (7, 9)
    Engineering assistance provided by Joe Hartwell-Jones (1)
    Additional engineering at Urchin Studios by Dan Cox (9)

    Mastered by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis, London

    Track 3 contains an interpolation of "Hot Fun in the Summertime" (Stewart)

    Photography by John-Paul Pietrus
    Art Direction by Richard Welland, Mike Lythgoe & Lianne La Havas
    Commissioned by Pixie Higson

  • Format Availability

    This album is available from Nonesuch in the United States only. To order outside the US, click here.