Zeus32
Yup, Frank’s back.
Part of Frank Ocean’s allure and mystique is his frugality with music releases. A new Frank track is few and far between, but when they peak their head out of the ground, all eyes turn towards the enigmatic artist. Yesterday, October 21st, Frank delivered his first new single since covering the 1961 track, “Moon River,” last year with “DHL.”
Over a spacey instrumental, somewhat reminiscent of watching a pond’s mist blend in with a night’s surrounding fog, Frank gradually finds his vocal footing through sparse rapping and groaning, almost reintroducing himself to the listener in the process. The manipulated vocals begin to get swallowed by the experimental soundscape, coalescing to create this uniquely-textured offering — one far different from a prototypically enchanting Frank Ocean track, but still retaining his unmistakable fingerprints.
“DHL” is a creative risk, of sorts: although initially a little jarring given its eccentric aesthetic, it imparts this palpable curiosity that guides the listener to the finish line, and begs for repeated consumption to decompress its complex infrastructure.
Frank Ocean is also expected to release two other singles this year: “Cayendo” and “Dear April.” However, as has been Frank’s M.O. throughout his career, their certainty remains uncertain.
Listen to “DHL” below:
