BeatRoute Magazine B.C. print e-edition - July 2016

ALBUM REVIEWS
Blood Orange
Freetown Sound
Domino
Expectations were high for Devonté Hynes’ third
album as Blood Orange. The bar set by 2013’s
heart-wrenchingly melodious Cupid Deluxe was
daunting. Could Hynes match its danceability and
endlessly singable choruses? Freetown Sound
certainly has and, more importantly, creates
empathy by offering a deeply personal voice on
marginalization and systemic oppression.
During the lead up to its release, Hynes said
the record is for “everyone told they’re not black
enough, too black, too queer, not queer the
right way, the underappreciated.” While some of
the lyrical content is directly pointed, such as
the call outs of cultural appropriation found in
“Chance,” Freetown Sound is an echo chamber
of a mind that experiences the world in a way
that many do not. Hynes wanders between sexual
and gender politics, being black in America,
the immigrant experience and the influence
of Christianity – oftentimes all in one song.
A great example of this is lead single “Augustine.”
It opens with Hynes recalling his family’s
experiences as immigrants, and moves quickly
into a chorus that quotes West African Bishop
Saint Augustine. Verse two explores what
it’s like to lose a loved one due to injustice,
specifically mentioning Trayvon Martin. Finally,
the song closes with a lament for Nontetha Nkwenke,
the South African preacher jailed (and
later committed) for being a community activist.
It’s a lot, and if Hynes was giving us anything
less than the real deal, it would feel like a mess.
Thankfully, his conviction is palpable and carries
the densely referential nature of the album.
It’s not just the lyrics that shape Freetown
Sound’s commentary. There’s a sonic architecture
that allows tender love songs to bleed into
protest tracks. The use of spoken word, sampled
dialogue, protest chants and repetition lend
Freetown Sound a mixtape-like feel, letting the
work feel lived in and crackling with sincerity.
Let’s not forget that Hynes is a proven hit
maker with a keen ear for saccharine melody
and New Romantic rhythms. There isn’t a single
song on the album that won’t get stuck in your
head. As we also know of Hynes, he plays rather
well with others. Lorely Rodriguez (Empress
Of) and he duet as fiercely passionate lovers on
standout “Best to You,” with its soft frenzy of
drums and instantly infectious vocal patterns.
“E.V.P” sees Debbie Harry in a subdued turn as
a ghost of self-doubt, the track sounding like
if Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” was covered
with the attitude of Sonic Youth’s “Kool
Thing.” An easy competitor for best overall
song would be “Hadron Collider,” which again
proves Nelly Furtado as a chameleon queen
with endless tenderness. Stranger still, Carly
Rae Jepsen could be confused for Kate Bush
on the tossing and turning “Better Than Me.”
With 17 songs and an hour-long runtime,
Freetown Sound is surprisingly well paced and
deliberate. The album functions as a look inside
a wandering mind that doesn’t insist on a singular
answer to its many questions. It’s refreshing
to be invited on a journey that’s about moment-to-moment
experiences, and which aptly
captures from a personal lens the climate of
hostility and otherness so present in the world
today. In realms both personal and political,
there are many loud voices doing a lot of talking
and very little listening, and Freetown Sound
makes a compelling case for the opposite to occur.
Trying to fully unpack Hynes’ purview and
itemize his message would be a disservice to
a work that champions speaking for one’s self
and simply being heard. His openness, combined
with his unparalleled pop sensibilities,
make it one you’ll want to hear again and again.
Written by Colin Gallant
Illustration by Syd Danger
July 2016 REVIEWS
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