He began his career with the chaotic noise-hop collective Odd Future and quickly became its star player within a matter of months by, seemingly, not being obnoxious. It’s a testament to just how powerful blending genres can be, or perhaps how easily minimalism is overlooked in this day and age.
With his sophomore release Ocean embraces change, as well as his showcasing his maturity by fine-tuning the only thing he needs to be good at: singing.
Ocean released his debut studio album Channel Orange in 2012 to critical acclaim. Since it’s release, the forefront singles “Thinkin Bout You” and “Pyramids” have become millennial pseudo-anthems for a generation growing skeptical of conventional, love-drunk relationships.
In turn, the anticipation for this record was unparalleled, moreso considering the original release date: July 2015. His second full-length LP, Blonde, was instead released over a year later -- paired with the visual album Endless and a publication edited by Ocean entitled Boys Don’t Cry.
In some ways Blonde picks up where Channel Orange left off. Ocean continues to melodically, often melodramatically, describe romance in full form. However, there is an explicit change of tone right from the get go; there is nothing as catchy as “Thinkin Bout You” here, and there are no massive prog-jams like “Pyramids.” Blonde shines in a simple, enigmatic and somewhat esoteric way.
After four years of waiting, listeners are greeted with the opening track “Nikes,” a trip-hop hymn that rocks the listener back and forth over its five minutes. The choice to start the album with pitch-altering voice effects for half the song is a questionable -- in fact, the weakest points of the album might just be its entrance and exit. But the track closes out with a slow, bouncy rap from Ocean, reminding us of his effective flow while carrying the listener smoothly onto the main course.
“Ivy” is a demented jangle-pop tune that exemplifies Ocean’s storytelling, as well as his fixation on the use of first-person past-tense. He croons of lost dreams and faint memories over soft, reverberated and sullen rhythms; similar beats frequently reappear on the album’s best tracks. “Pink + White”, “Nights”, “Self Control” and “Seigfried” are all armed with ethereal, meticulous production styles that would make Noah Shebib envious.
As is usual with most R&B/hip-hop albums, Blonde is cut with a multitude of skits featuring various narratives embedded to enhance the album's concept. One is of Ocean’s mother who, through voicemail, advises him on the consequences drug addiction.
It provides depth, and the topic is often brought up afterward, at least in a figurative sense. The breaks on the album actually flow together quite well and one even seems to be an unfinished track (”Good Guy”).
It’s hard to believe the amount of production credits Blonde has because it really just seems, in every sense of the term, a solo record. Paul McCartney, Mike Will, Pharrell and Jamie xx all had a hand in crafting the project, among other talents. The most effective contribution is without a doubt rapper Andre 3000, known from OutKast, on the track “Solo (Reprise).” It’s a punchy, fast paced tongue-twister that brings a needed change of mood.
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Blonde is a fantastic record. Ocean effectively avoided making a Channel Orange 2 to showcase his flexibility as producer, yet his lyrics offer familiarity to the changing sonic landscape. The weaker songs like “Pretty Sweet” and “Futura Free” are more cacophonous than anything, but are also brief and easily overlooked. It’s exciting to see where Ocean will take us next with his future endeavors -- though we might have to wait a few years to find out.
