"Dev Hynes's fifth studio album as Blood Orange opens with a series of unexpected musical juxtapositions. The first track, Look at You, starts out with softly sung vocals over a cushion of equally soft synthesiser chords, before stopping dead, then re-emerging as almost an entirely different song: harmonies over guitar chords strummed so lazily you can hear the plectrum hitting each individual string. The second, Thinking Clean, offers a piano"
"It's a lot to cram into six minutes, but anyone familiar with Blood Orange's back catalogue might reasonably ask: what did you expect? Since he adopted the name, Hynes's career has occasionally intersected with the mainstream, although never in a straightforward way. His biggest track, Champagne Coast, was belatedly hoisted to platinum status by a burst of TikTok virality, 14 years after release."
Essex Honey opens with abrupt musical juxtapositions that move between soft synthesiser cushions, lazy guitar harmonies and unexpected structural shifts. Look at You alters mid-song from gentle vocals to distinct guitar harmonies. Thinking Clean juxtaposes anticipatory piano and pattering hi-hats with a dance rhythm that collapses into abstract piano and improvised cello. Hynes's career intermittently touches mainstream pop through high-profile credits while preserving left-field credibility. Previous Blood Orange records featured diverse collaborators and stylistic jump-cuts that sometimes felt scattered. Essex Honey retains eclecticism but projects a clearer, more cohesive identity than earlier albums.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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