James Blunt joins the ranks of artists inspired by the gnawing feeling that life is better untethered from the demands of the technological age, switching to Airplane Mode for his aptly titled eighth studio album. But despite the soaring, soft-rock production and even the head-in-the-clouds messaging conveyed by the album artwork, there’s no hope for a utopian dream here. The first half of the record wallows in existentialism: “Circles” gives up on the idea that things can change, “Modern Love” hints at a desire for more depth, and “Reason to Die” teeters on the edge of oblivion. The latter track marks the turning point towards a brighter horizon and a more optimistic point of view. “Hey, People” finds Blunt refusing to lose heart for humanity over upbeat chords, while album closer “This Is Not Forever” urges us out of an imposed state of self-doubt and despondency. By the end of the record, Blunt seems to have arrived at the conclusion that it’s better to tune into the things that make you happy than tune out of everything completely. Escapism is not the cure for reality.