Dev Hynes, a British transplant in New York, has said that his second release under the moniker Blood Orange is about “moving from a stable position to an unstable position.” After living in Brooklyn, Hynes moved to Manhattan and this inspired the understated symphonic movements of Cupid Deluxe.
The follow up to 2009’s Costal Grooves allows for Hynes to further explore his synth-pop fusion. Through collaborations with Clams Casino, David Longstreth of Dirty Projectors and rapper Despot, Blood Orange’s sophomore release is far from a slump.
“Cupid Deluxe” is an album that is reminiscent of '70s funk and jazz, '80s soul and new-age synth-pop. Hynes's influence isn’t constrained to the instrumentation of the album—which is almost flawless in execution—he also had a large role in the overall production of the album. The pains of long lost love touches each song, fleeting strands of memory that are just out of reach, memories that Hynes channels to create some of the most soft-spoken pop of this year.
Using a variety of guest vocalists, Hynes seamlessly blends smooth synthesizers, along with melodic vocals and sharp, yet well stated rapping. Skepta’s brief stop in “High Street” fits well with the simplistic beats and the ending saxophone solo of “Chosen” slides well into Despot’s opening of “Clipped On.”
Longstreth and Hynes' collaborative vocals on “No Right Thing” are the album’s vocal highlight, with the talented singers bouncing sonic development off each other. Along with Clams Casino’s production additions, the song makes a gleaming light in the cold of a New York winter.
As the album comes to a close with “Time Will Tell,” the influence of Michael Jackson slow jams shines through the track, allowing Hynes to blend his British roots and New York learned talent.
Samantha Urbani’s visit on several of the tracks comes to a head with “Always Let U Down,” a simple yet powerful synth pop tack of the loss of a breakup. While it’s not the album’s strongest track, her vocals easily make up for the wobbly instrumentation on the track.
While “Always Let U Down” states “I can only disappoint you,” Blood Orange has not let the listener down at all with this symphonic release.
Rating: A-
