Dev Hynes is back with his second album as Blood Orange – and to my mind it’s the best thing he’s done to date. Whereas 2011’s ‘Coastal Grooves’ enjoyed looking at late 1970s New York disco as its inspiration, this one moves forward a little bit to the 1980s – and Hynes finds himself totally at home with chunky synth pads, full bodied beats and some rather alluring vocals. Caroline Polachek of Chairlift helps provide an electric atmosphere for ‘Chamakay’, her back and forth with Hynes sizzling with chemistry, while ‘Always Let You Down’ is a masterful cover of Mansun’s ‘I Can Only Disappoint U’, so good you might not spot it on first listen. The theme running through the album appears to be different levels of inadequacy (‘You’re Not Good Enough’, ‘No Right Thing’, ‘It Is What It Is’), and that lends the music a fragility that goes really well with the subtle grooves Hynes as produced. Because of this repeat listens are very rewarding, and the tension between Hynes and his guests, who as well as Polachek include Friends’ Samantha Urbani, Clams Casino, Despot, Kindness’ Adam Bainbridge and Skepta, is compelling.
5 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
