British-born singer, songwriter and producer, Dev Hynes combines genres of contemporary R&B, new wave, and electronic to create a progressive sound with a deeper meaning. Based in Lower Manhattan, the musician was born to Caribbean parents and was raised in South London. Formerly known as Lightspeed Champion, Dev Hynes relocated to New York City nine years ago and produces music under the alias, Blood Orange. I first came across Hynes while listening to Gia Coppola's "Palo Alto" motion picture soundtrack and have followed his solo albums ever since. Hynes has collaborated with the likes of Solange Knowles, Sky Ferreira and FKA Twigs, yet he still has his own unique sound as the solo artist, Blood Orange.
"Freetown Sound" (2016)
His latest album released July 1, 2016 is titled "Freetown Sound" after his father's hometown in Sierra Leone. Hynes incorporates old-timey sounds of the past while providing an eclectic mix of a contemporary, synth pop sound. Introduced to the public at an important and trying time, "Freetown Sound" was released in the wake of the Orlando mass shooting and just a week before would have been Tamir Rice's 14th birthday. In more recent news, the unjustifiable death of Alton Sterling shook up the nation and the UK's withdrawal from the EU sparked chants of racism and opposition to immigration. The widely circulating news about police brutality and institutional racism is closely connected to Hynes who is a queer English black man now living in New York. In fact, race and sexuality are the prominent themes in his album as told through a personal document. One year prior to the album's release and in regards to the Black Lives Matter Movement, Hynes came out with an 11-minute evaluation on race and identity in wake of the conflict between law enforcement and blacks titled "Do You See My Skin Through The Flames?" This gave rise to and helped prepare Hynes in making "Freetown Sound." He effortlessly blends rich spoken word poetry with melodic sounds to "offer a broad view of black culture." Similar to Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly," this album resonates with its listeners and stands as a representation of social justice within marginalized communities.
"Cupid Deluxe" (2013)
Blood Orange's second studio album "Cupid Deluxe" delivers 80s inspired pop sounds while focusing on the LGBT community in New York City. Inspired by "Netherlands," a New Yorker story documenting the vagabond LGBT underground scene in the city. The misfits depicted in the album find a home away from home in New York, just as Hynes did. The fluctuating high and low singing voice stand for androgyny and Hynes' battle with understanding and becoming comfortable with his own sexual identity, as well as his position as a social justice activist.
"Coastal Grooves" (2011)
Hynes' first solo project as Blood Orange titled "Coastal Grooves" was released in 2011. According to Pitchfork, "'Coastal Grooves' is also largely propelled by strong, strutting rhythmic foundations, while Hynes' vocals remain appealingly florid throughout." Hynes took inspiration from the 1990 film, "Paris is Burning," a chronicle of transvestite club culture in New York, for his first solo album. Two stand-out songs for me include "Sutphin Boulevard" and "Champagne Coast." ("Champagne Coast," was in fact, the first song I heard from Hynes in the Palo Alto soundtrack). Both songs have a hint of sadness waving throughout but still manage to not adhere to one specific genre. It would be an injustice to define Hynes' music through one category without considering his entire source of inspiration and thought process while writing and producing the album.
