The wording of the report itself is also worth special attention, particularly with regards to the sources having described the album as “fucking great.” Of course, it’s difficult to imagine anyone hearing new Frank Ocean music and not sharing that exact same (alleged) assessment. With Blonde, Ocean is using every technique at his. Blond, the official follow-up to Ocean’s magnificent, bar-raising opus. And while any true fan is fully supportive of great work often taking great amounts of time, it’s hard to deny that detailed updates about the follow-up-especially if the latest report turns out to be accurate-are a pleasant change of pace.Ī report from Hits Daily Double alleges Ocean has indeed been “shopping a new album.” The outlet’s sources say Ocean is being represented by attorney Laurie Soriano-a partner in the entertainment division of the King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano firm-and that meetings with industry executives are being taken. During those meetings, according to the report, new music from Ocean is being played.Ĭomplex has reached out to a rep for Soriano for comment. The immediate album review is not a format especially well-suited to a Frank Ocean album review especially not this Frank Ocean album review. On Friday, for the first time in four years, there was a new Frank Ocean album.Two days later, there was another one. The musician also previously dipped his toe in the luxury market in 2019, hosting a controversially exclusive queer party called “PrEP+.” Ocean recently stoked new-music speculation, though, when Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett said the musician would headline the festival in 2023, after a canceled 2020 slot.Frank Ocean’s Blonde, though its carefully assembled inner workings are unquestionably timeless, turned five entire years young back in August. The project follows a few loose singles Ocean dropped in 20 - a trail of crumbs following his last album, 2016’s Blonde. As for the name, Homer “represents carving history into stone,” according to the press release, which lists Ocean’s inspirations as “childhood obsessions” and “heritage as a fantasy.” It’s giving slight flashbacks to when Kendrick Lamar had us all wondering what an “at-service company” was, but if you’ve been looking for some new lab-grown diamond pieces, here’s your place. The Homer website currently allows prospective buyers to order a catalogue or book a shopping appointment. This is among the biggest differences in the two albums, whereas, to me, Channel Orange was more of a collage of stories about rich millennial, Blonde is a personal recantation of life as a rich millennial. In fact, the songs line up with 454’s debut album, 4 REAL, released in March (and, according to Reddit sleuths, an album Ocean liked at the time).īut what is Homer then? According to a press release, the company will be selling fine jewelry and silk scarves at a store opening on August 9 at 70–74 Bowery in New York City. instead of telling a story about Super Rich Kids, frank finds himself being the super rich kid.
But Ocean’s publicist told Vulture that the project is an album by the rapper 454 - who, according to this Rolling Stone interview and photo shoot, is not Frank Ocean. A tab on the right reads “listen to 454,” and upon clicking, it plays through a woozy hip-hop project that many thought could be new Frank Ocean music (despite the unrecognizable vocals). Ocean, the R&B experimentalist, launched a new luxury company called Homer on August 6, setting off a bit of confusion when fans found a 12-track album on the website. Those who didn't like Blonde on its release complained about the lack of drums and lack of upbeat tracks. Today may not have brought us a new Kanye West album, and now it looks like it’s not bringing us a new Frank Ocean one either. BUT I think that he could have replaced it with a slightly more conventional, upbeat track and maybe it would have helped the general public/casual Frank fans get more into the album.