However, some songs are so empty that they feel like background music. The standout track of the album, “Nights,” transforms from a seemingly standard beat into a plunging guitar solo, and ending in a rolling chorus of pure, light vocals that leave the listener totally marveled. The music is more mature in nature, as if Ocean has spent the past four years filtering through the overwhelming number of ideas that were evoked in his previous album. The music itself evokes a sense of vulnerability and intimacy, almost as if the listener is sitting in Ocean’s quiet, dark attic while he croons into the otherwise empty space. There are wide gaps in the album where there are no drums at all, only containing the sounds of electric keyboard, rock guitar, and Ocean’s own distorted vocals. Musically, the album is quite minimal, differing starkly from the often pop-like feel of “Channel Orang”. However, it lacks the refined sound of “Blonde,” the obvious centerpiece of the project. It contained a magazine entitled “Boys Don’t Cry” that appeared in pop-up shops across the country the day after the visual album, “Endless,” a 45-minute smooth stream of Ocean’s music that is intimate and raw in nature, debuted. The project was finally released in three parts over the span of two days. It may be slow-moving and boring to watch, but, in the end, it will be worth the wait. The stream was an obvious metaphor for the message Ocean’s silence intended to communicate, one that flows through the entire project: creating art after such a powerful release like “Channel Orange” requires time and craft. However, on Aug 1, the site came alive with an ambiguous live stream of Ocean himself slowly and methodically constructing what was eventually revealed to be a staircase.

The nods toward its release started in July when Ocean uploaded an image of a late library slip to his website, the last date stamped July 2016.įans took to the internet in a rage when July 31 came and went with no statement from the artist. The journey to “Blonde” wasn’t just long: it was riddled with unconfirmed rumors, changing release dates and cheeky hints, reflecting the character of the mysterious, reclusive artist behind the project. Long-awaited is hardly an exaggeration in this case: the 28-year-old singer-songwriter released his first album, “Channel Orange,” almost four years ago, leaving a generation defined by its dynamic, eclectic sound, both honest and comforting, longing for more.

If you’ve been anywhere on the Internet (or existing anywhere in the world) within these past four weeks, you’ve heard of “Blonde,” Frank Ocean’s long-awaited sophomore album.

Blonde frank ocean album review