Today is Friday in New York City. There, Devonte Hynes, more commonly recognized as Blood Orange, resides quietly within his apartment. As the day’s light begins to sneak through the windows, it illuminates piles of books, with a black cello case subtly propped against them.
Hynes is positioned centrally within the Zoom screen, sporting a casual black bandanna around his hair. A pair of headphones covers his ears, with their wires cascading down next to his dreadlocks. He’s sharing insights about his upcoming fifth studio album titled “Essex Honey,” which will be available for release this coming Friday.
Six years ago, the idea for the album initially surfaced as a playful exploration of phonetics. However, it didn’t take long for Hynes, a native of Ilford in England (situated between London and coastal Essex), to reflect on his past and contemplate the concept of home that held significance for him.
He recalls it didn’t feel like a premeditated action, rather it unfolded spontaneously. The essence of the experience lies less in its physicality and more in its psychological impact. I suspect it’s because my thoughts were drifting towards maturity and the time spent there, and perhaps… an attempt to grasp the extent to which those experiences shaped me.
Essentially, the songs for the album deeply connected to his early years in Essex were recorded over 3,500 miles away. Despite the ocean separating him from home, he claims that he can “create a space in my mind, and then location doesn’t truly matter.
He mentions that his mind often imagines England as his creative space, yet he can create and work anywhere. It’s as if he constructs the environment in his mind first, and when he works on a recording, it seems like he’s stepping into that constructed location.
As a result, “Essex Honey” exhibits a subtle shift towards softer tones compared to his past work. It seems like he’s moving back towards the mellow and melancholic vibes present in “Negro Swan,” rather than the more upbeat tracks featured on “Angel’s Pulse.
In my own words, I continuously create music, yet I must emphasize that my personal life and the spaces where these musical creations originate are vastly distinct.
He experienced a change in his creative approach. Instead of living his music and letting it define his life, he now creates music that stems from his experiences in life.
Though carefully crafted, ‘Essex Honey’ has a more spontaneous feel to it. When discussing its creation, Hynes acknowledges that he’s constantly exploring, refining, and tweaking his work.
Hynes excels in a mobile, fast-paced lifestyle, which is evident in the diversity of his musical projects. The variation in instrumentation stems from this dynamic style and his preference for using what’s readily available near him when selecting instruments.
He shifts the camera focus to another part of his apartment, revealing a corner adorned with an acoustic and electric guitar nestled beside a mixer. A cello is hidden behind these instruments, joined by a saxophone as well.
Despite admitting that he might not be the best saxophonist you’ll encounter, Hynes has the knack for making his music pleasing to listen to.
He mentions his ability to adjust and customize audio to suit his preferences, stating this is where his talent lies.
He frequently carries a hard drive with him wherever he goes, allowing him to drop by studios and apartments and continue developing the components of songs he’s already started. On one instance, he recalls being in Paris, collaborating with another pianist named Dylan, blending two drum beats together for “Somewhere in Between.
He explains that while recording the song alone, he would press record, dash into the drum area, attempt to lay down the track, mess up, and subsequently sprint back out. He admits it involved plenty of excitement for that particular piece, but he thoroughly enjoyed the process.
The situation appears disorganized, and it might indeed be so. The digital entity named “Essex Honey” spent the majority of its existence on a hard drive, and regrettably, backup measures were not taken until it was much too late.
He jokes that no one is attempting to pilfer Blood Orange albums from an Uber ride, suggesting a common occurrence of losing them during transportation.
Ultimately, everything falls into harmony, and each sound seems perfectly positioned – there’s not a single discordant drumbeat or a saxophone that fades away unsatisfactorily within the composition.
In terms of the characteristics found in his records, they generally reflect who he’s associating with during those times.
“It’s as simple as that, they’re in the room.”
× Occasionally, he’d reach out to artists he had collaborated with before, such as Ian Isiah and Caroline Polachek. Together, they plan to create a song similar to “The Field,” which begins with the sound of seagulls in a cool breeze, followed by crashing waves and a gentle guitar melody.
“I’m like, ‘I know Caroline could take this somewhere,’” he says.
Lorde presented an intriguing scenario – at 28 years old, she made a brief appearance on “Mind Loaded,” momentarily crooning, “Everything holds no significance for me,” echoing the style of singer-songwriter Elliott Smith.
After connecting with a New Zealander for her “Ultrasound World Tour,” he will be the opening act for her on October 18th at Kia Forum, which is only two days following his own performance at the Shrine Expo Hall.
He remembers that the original concept for the song stemmed from Kelly Zutrau of Wet. While working on the track, it was Kelly who suggested incorporating ‘Everything seems devoid of meaning to me.’
“So, that existed in the song over the next six years … and then Lorde sang on top of it.”
So far, this approach in creating music has served him well, as evidenced by his four commercially successful studio albums. However, despite these accomplishments, he remains vulnerable to the unpredictable events that social media might unexpectedly throw at any musician.
By 2024, “Champagne Coast,” one of his songs, had exploded in popularity, all thanks to TikTok. Remarkably, this track hails from his first album, “Coastal Grooves,” which was released way back in 2011.
He comments, “That kind of success seems unusual to me, indicating how unattainable and perhaps misguided it may be for many to pursue. After all, everyone seems to be persistently aiming for viral popularity, yet the very term ‘viral’ suggests its inherent randomness.
“You don’t try to catch viruses; they come to you,” he jokes.
Even after being immersed in the digital world for a considerable time as an artist, there are numerous elements of social media and the internet that he’s yet to fully understand. Beyond the concept of virality, he often finds aspects such as “follower counts” seem incongruous with the creative experience.
He expresses, chuckling maybe with a hint of shock, “If you’re interested in listening to a song, take note of how many times it has been played alongside the track itself. It’s quite astonishing, and I believe it’s something people rarely discuss!
We’ve come to terms with it; it’s quite bizarre… Can you envision purchasing a book and finding out how many others have already read it?
Hynes appears to be deeply passionate about the artwork he shares with the world, and he clarifies that while “Champagne Coast’s” triumph isn’t directly equivalent to that of Blood Orange, it is not inaccurate.
As a die-hard music enthusiast who deeply values the depth and significance behind every note I hear, “Essex Honey” almost never graced the silver screen due to my unyielding passion for music and its profound meaning.
He admits that figuring out the reasons for its release proved challenging, even though he maintained a smile despite the apparent difficulty. Yet, he is confident in his ability to complete tasks, stating ‘I can produce it and I can bring it to completion’.
He found it challenging to respond to questions such as “What justifies its existence?” and “Why is it suitable for the world?”, since he felt that his music inherently needed a home or purpose of sorts.
He adds, admitting his initial lack of understanding regarding its purpose. However, he didn’t find a compelling reason to withhold it. Later, he overcame his personal reservations, recognizing that this mindset could be self-absorbed and ungrateful.
He pauses.
“Wait … If you wait one second, I just read a quote …”
In a casual manner, we can rephrase the sentence as follows: After setting aside his headphones, Hynes wanders over to his bookshelf for about thirty seconds. Upon returning, he’s clutching John Berger’s “Permanent Red” book in his hands.
‘A wagon we draw should benefit strangers.’
In his view, his music seemed to serve a particular function. It was a constant backdrop in his life, whether it was subtly present during his commute on a train or more profoundly acting as a “support” or “link”. However, his intellectual pursuits came to a straightforward conclusion when he encountered someone who knew him better than anyone else: himself.
Knowing my ability to compose music, having the opportunity to share it, and having an audience eager to listen – it feels exhilarating, almost like, ‘Let’s create some music!’
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2025-08-27 13:32