By Johnny Yoo (ArtSci ’12)
Contributor

Channel Orange, Lonny Breaux, Nostalgia/Ultra. Frank Ocean’s plethora of singles, tracks and stories, range from slow synthematic rhythms to chirpy high snares and kicks. Christopher Francis Ocean is becoming one of the biggest musicians today.

His most recent and well-anticipated album Channel Orange includes the likes of John Mayer and Andre 3000 to complete a diverse cast of artists. While Thinkin Bout You and Sweet Life are well known, Pyramids is probably the most worthy track. At just under 10 minutes, it has an interlude comparable to Justin Timberlake’s I Think That She Knows.

The Lonny Breaux Collection has 64 tracks (yes 64) for you to check out. While it includes various producers, most of them are created by Midi Mafia. This album definitely has a Jackie Boyz/Bobby Valentino sound which is quite different than Channel Orange. With more rhythm in all the tracks, my favourites are Sucka For Love and Read The Stars.

Nostalgia/Ultra, his debut mixtape was released with two singles, Novacane and Swim Good. This was definitely a breakthrough with a mixture of mash-ups and originals. Clever usage of commonly known tracks enabled him to gain familiarity whilst maintaining his own image.

It’s important to recognize his work as a ghostwriter as well. Some of his most noteworthy collaborations include Justin Bieber, Brandy, John Legend, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Beyonce. He received a lot of media attention with his Tumblr page, where he shed light on his experience of falling in love with someone of the same sex. However at the end of the day, his passion for music, his talent as a ghostwriter and uniqueness in sound is what sets him apart from others.

Youtube Search.
Coachella 2012 Frank Ocean full
Lollapalooza 2012 Frank Ocean full
Frank Ocean Pyramids