I guess that is the sign of a great album: one that appears pretty natural, but has a lot of work, D.N.A. The songs do sound free and loose but, in actuality, there was a lot of honing and experimentation. It is just as well budget was not a big constraint as, to get the sound right and perfect the songs, Ocean spent months getting the vocals right. Not only did he work in various expensive studious he also had a maid at a Beverley Hills mansion. One thing you cannot accuse Frank Ocean of is lacking in comfort and luxury whilst recording the album. Ocean had experience before heading into the studio, yet Channel Orange sounds like it was from the mind of a decades-experienced musicians. It is amazing to think of Channel Orange, as it is so confident and assured. Ocean employs dark characters and switches voices his voice is free-form flow and there are a few guests that pop up to add new angles and voices to the record. There are big themes addressed on Channel Orange, but I think it is the tales and tones of unrequited love and passion that hit hardest. A lot of artists would use samples to create the same affect and find that they struggled to get clearance or access maybe it would be a hard task getting the songs to sound how they should. It is the scope of sounds that truly blows the mind. From its fusions of variegated genres and use of segue tracks, it is a heady masterpiece. There is barely anything conventional about Channel Orange. Whilst a lot of Hip-Hop albums from his peers at the time were quite political, aggressive and familiar, Ocean crafted an album that was as accessible as it was revelatory. A lot of Rap and Hip-Hop artists start out by producing mixtapes and then sort of move in the direction of an album. Whereas his mixtape was more about samples and something more borrowed, Ocean decided to work more closely with sound and create a different sound on his debut album.

After that mixtape went out, Ocean collaborated with Malay – one of several producers on Channel Orange -, at EastWest Studios out in Hollywood. His 2011 mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, gained a lot of positive feedback, but Channel Orange took him to new heights. In terms of albums that connect instantly and continue to swim in your head for months after you have played it, Channel Orange is right up there with the very best. Frank Ocean has just put out a new song, DHL, and it seems like there are plans for more material very soon. I am featuring standout albums from black artists.

IN THIS PHOTO: Frank Ocean/ PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Frank ocean channel orange review