As a member of the test Icibe, Devonté Hynes took the dance punk hype of the zero years with him, with Lightspeed Champion he then invented himself as a kind of British conor Oberst, in order to then create at least two albums as a Blood Orange, which are now considered millennial classics: Cupid Deluxe (2013) and Freetown Sound (2016). The mixture of 80ies nostalgia, r’n’b to be heard there and over time that is becoming increasingly important playlist composite shaped the modern boutique indie sound sustainably and made Hynes a sought-after producer (including as long as and Kylie Minogue).
Recommendations of the editorial team
Essex Honey now arose after a personal loss that made Hynes think of his childhood in the title -giving county in the east of London. Despite the numerous touching moments (“The Field”), the noticeable melancholy is unfortunately sometimes lost between “what a vibe” and “negligible”.
The list of guest musicians: Inside (Ua Caroline Polachek, Tirzah) is impressive, just like the richness of detail: When Lorde Elliott Smith’s “Everything Means Nothing to Me” quotes, it is of course a left-wing listener, just as if Hynes in Arthur-Russel-Manier Field Recordings, cello, acoustic guitar and percussion come together.
This review first appeared in the MusikExpress 10/2025.