Music artist and producer Dev Hynes, more commonly known by his stage name Blood Orange, returns to the music scene with his latest project, the 14-track album Essex Honey, released on all streaming platforms on Friday, Aug. 29.
Despite this being his first full-length album in six years, the artist never fully departed from the music world. During the gap, Hynes released multiple singles and his four-track alternative extended play Four Songs while simultaneously working on projects for other artists like Mustafa and Lorde. The singles included “Jesus Freak Lighter” and “CALL ME (Freestyle)” featuring Park Hye Jin, both alternative tracks. The latter leans heavily into strong, smooth beats, while “Jesus Freak Lighter” leans into a vibe similar to the other songs on Essex Honey.
The album’s tone differs from previous works in his discography, like Cupid Deluxe, released in 2013, and Freetown Sounds, released in 2016. Both are alternative albums that focus on synth-based lines and soul aspects. This time, his take on the alternative genre focuses on slower, serene vocal harmonies, fitting for a reflection of a slow-paced, countryside feel.
In an interview with Apple Music’s global creative director and head of artist relations, Zane Lowe, Hynes discussed how his mother’s death in 2023 shaped the tone of his fifth album, modeled after Essex, the suburban English county located outside of London where he grew up. The songwriter also said he wanted to explore his personal meaning of “home.”
In track one, “Look At You,” Hynes opens Essex Honey by reflecting on his message, singing, “How can I start my day, knowing the truth, about love and loss of youth?” The song serves as a strong opener because of its beat, which mimics a buildup that gracefully flows into the following track, “Thinking Clean,” carrying the same reminiscent sound before seamlessly shifting into a jazz tempo with added electric guitars and an upbeat rhythm.
The album’s lead single, track four, “The Field,” featuring Daniel Ceasar, Caroline Polachek, Eva Tolkin, The Durutti Column and Tariq Al-Sabir, perfectly reflects his new calm sound with Hynes’ vocals layered over melancholic strumming, violins and harmonies.
The production, including the impactful lyricism and well-composed instrumentals, is nothing short of impressive, but by the fifth song, the redundancy begins to set in, leaving listeners wanting more than just the snippets of upbeat rhythms which are inserted throughout songs, like track 13, “I Listened (Every Night).”.
“The Train (King’s Cross),” featuring Polachek, stands out as reminiscent of his 2011 album, Coastal Grooves, containing a similar fast-paced singing style accompanied by rigid guitar strumming. Hynes’ lyrics of “Nothing there can guide me home, but anyways, ignore the truth, can’t face the days,” emphasize the album’s theme of discovering what “home” means.
Although none of the tracks individually charted, the album as a whole reached the Top 100 on Apple Music charts in September in countries including the U.S., the United Kingdom and France.
Overall, the album’s repetitive, melancholic tones and low-energy instrumental beats are balanced by its smooth flow of impressive production, creating a project as smooth as “honey.”
