Blood Orange is the brainchild of prolific New York songwriter Dev Hynes, formerly known as Lightspeed Champion, who has an impressive catalogue of writing credits on albums by Solange Knowles, FKA Twigs and Kylie Minogue. Freetown Sound, a heavy fusion of pretty much anything you can think of – funk, soul, jazz, blues, synth pop – attempts to cement Hynes as an artist with something to prove, coming off as his most ambitious and introspective effort to date under this alias.
An album intended to inspire the under appreciated, the opener By Ourselves is about solidarity with the feminist movement. It is a strong opening statement about body image, which sets the stage for the next track, Augustine, a stunning ballad with an ‘80s snare that hits so hard it makes you wish you were pumping it in your 1986 Holden Kingswood. A sense of heartbreak from both genders is felt on tracks Chance and Best To You, which takes an introspective outlook on a relationship that could be, offering moments of pure desperation that hit you right in the feels.
Desiree sends a heartfelt message out to lost love, and to anyone who ever couldn’t quite grasp the person they truly loved. Under appreciation is again the over arching theme here, followed later by Hadron Collider, a ballad that features the long lost but not forgotten Nelly Furtado, who delivers a stunning vocal performance worthy of a mention.
Juicy 1-4 delivers the funky, yet ambient synths we have come to expect from Mr. Hynes. Thank You has a jazzy undertone and a piano melody that melds incredibly smoothly with the backing instrumentation.
Freetown Sound is an effort that proves to be Hynes’ most impressive release to date. If you’ve ever felt heartbroken, unappreciated and not good enough, this is an album that could bring you some solace.
BY BENJAMIN POTTER
