Just as his former mixtape was an eclectic mix of genres and influences, so to does 'Channel Orange' swing from jazzy keyboard breeziness to 1990s R&B to psychedelic rock and back to crunching 8-bit electronica without blinking. Ocean has great voice of course, expertly showcased on tracks like ‘Thinkin Bout You’, one of the strongest on the album. Here the beat and the synths are excellent, but are constrained to the background, allowing his vocals to take prominence. His powerful falsetto returns too, surging in ‘Bad Religion’, another standout track, whilst the jazzy licks and passion of 'Sweet Life' or 'Crack Rock' demonstrate just why Ocean was the no.1 writing choice for artists like John Legend for so long. However, it's clear that his time spent toiling as a writer among various L.A. studios has given him the experience needed to create an album like 'Channel Orange', as varied as 'Nostalgia, Ultra', if a little more accomplished.
Although Ocean's songwriting and production may matured since his mixtape days, this album is guilty of much the same flaws. The filler 'skit' tracks are still there, purposeless and doing little to add to album immersion or flow. The quality is as inconsistant as ever, opening tracks like 'Thinking Bout You' eclipse the boring mediocrity of 'Forrest Gump'. The excellent production and feel behind tracks like 'Super Rich Kids' reveals the heavily influence of Pharrell Williams/The Neptunes, though the stylised composition isn't enough to maintain a track which is let down by Ocean's weak verses, so full of unremarkable class observations that even the lyricism of Earl Sweatshirt can't save it.
Disappointments aside, this is still a highly accomplished album, as diverse as it is accesible, just as true R&B/Pop should be. It's arguable as to whether Frank Ocean is the Stevie Wonder of our generation (pretty sure Stevie is still the Stevie Wonder of mine) but nevertheless, he's captured that kind of sound, a rare combination of funky and emotional....cerebral but tightly composed and delivered.
Despite what the PR-driven mainstream press would have you believe, this is probably not the best album we'll hear all year and it isn't for everybody, but then neither should it be. 'Channel Orange' is simply a collection of expressive music by a talented artist....and one that's certainly worth taking the time to check out.
'Channel Orange' is available to download via iTunes and at most retailers. In the meantime, stream some of our highlight tracks below.
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