| Negro Swan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 24 August 2018 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 49:27 | |||
| Label | Domino | |||
| Producer | Devonté Hynes | |||
| Blood Orange chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Negro Swan | ||||
| ||||
Negro Swan is the fourth studio album by Blood Orange, an alias of British musician Dev Hynes. It was released on 24 August 2018 by Domino. The album was preceded by the singles "Charcoal Baby" and "Jewelry".
On 19 July 2018, Hynes shared a teaser video of the album featuring a snippet of new music, before announcing the album and making it available for pre-order later the same day. [1] The cover art features an image of Kai the Black Angel sitting on a car's front window with a white do-rag on his head and wings clipped to his back. [2] [3] The album was released on 24 August 2018 through Domino. [4]
In a press release, Hynes described the album as "an exploration into my own and many types of black depression, an honest look at the corners of black existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of color. A reach back into childhood and modern traumas, and the things we do to get through it all. The underlying thread through each piece on the album is the idea of hope, and the lights we can try to turn on within ourselves with a hopefully positive outcome of helping others out of their darkness." The album focuses on these themes heavily in today's current ideals of gender and sexuality. Honesty is a very powerful tool in the production of the album because it is what bridges the gap between understanding viewpoints of oppressed groups. With songs like "Hope" and "Runnin" masculine influences are brought into analysis in order to create an understanding of how societal forces impact the ideals of sexuality. Each song on the album presses this issue with a mix of soul, R&B, and other genre's styles in order to convey a story of facing depression.The press release also stated that the album was entirely written and produced by Hynes. [5]
On 23 July, Hynes performed multiple tracks from the album at the Pitchfork Music Festival, including "Nappy Wonder" and "Charcoal Baby", [6] the latter was released as the first single from the album on 26 July with a music video directed by Crack Stevens. [7] Shortly afterwards, another single titled "Jewelry" was released, accompanied by a music video directed by Hynes, featuring an appearance from Janet Mock. [8] [9]
In promotion of the album, Hynes embarked on a North American and European tour which began on 5 August at the Osheaga Festival and ended on 8 November in Copenhagen. [6]
Swan's 16 songs weave "impressionist" psychedelic pop and "interstellar" funk together, as well as working in "cosy" bedroom pop. [10] Due to Blood Orange's eclectic musical sounds, Swan also digs into alternative pop, chillwave, dream pop, hip hop soul, post-punk, quiet storm, R&B, indie hip-hop, jazz, and more. [10] [11] [12] [13]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 8.0/10 [14] |
| Metacritic | 84/100 [15] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| The A.V. Club | A [16] |
| The Guardian |  [17] |
| The Independent | [10] |
| NME | [18] |
| The Observer | [12] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10 [11] |
| Q | [19] |
| Rolling Stone | [20] |
| Uncut | 8/10 [21] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Negro Swan received an average score of 84, based on 26 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [15] David Sackllah of Consequence of Sound stated that "Negro Swan is a grand work that gives credit to the pioneers of the culture while building a path forward within that framework, placing Hynes firmly in the canon as one of the most insightful musicians of his generation." [22] Slant Magazine 's Zachary Hoskins wrote, "It's this ability to capture both sides with equal commitment—the struggle and the resistance through self-love—that makes Negro Swan Hynes's most assured, accomplished, and significant album to date." [23] The Independent critic Jazz Monroe said "While Negro Swan elaborates on Hynes's best work, he remains grounded in cosy bedroom-pop by shambling drum machines, vocal compressors and gratuitous psych pedals." [10]
In the review for AllMusic, writer Andy Kellman stated that the album, "qualifies as Hynes' most inward work, but it's a product of considerable interaction, whether the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist is handing off ideas to Diddy on the Connected-era Foreign Exchange-like "Hope", trading primary instruments with the Internet's Steve Lacy on the swirling "Out of Your League", or leaving enough room on each track for up to four additional voices, including Kelsey Lu, Amandla Stenberg, and Adam Bainbridge." [13]
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| AllMusic | AllMusic Best of 2018: Year in Review | * | [24] |
| NME | NME’s Albums Of The Year 2018 | 12 | [25] |
| Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2018 | 46 | [26] |
| PopMatters | The 70 Best Albums of 2018 | 31 | [27] |
All tracks produced by Devonté Hynes.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Orlando" | Devonté Hynes | 3:03 |
| 2. | "Saint" | Hynes | 3:12 |
| 3. | "Take Your Time" | Hynes | 2:51 |
| 4. | "Hope" (featuring Puff Daddy and Tei Shi) |
| 4:00 |
| 5. | "Jewelry" | Hynes | 4:32 |
| 6. | "Family" (featuring Janet Mock) | Hynes | 0:42 |
| 7. | "Charcoal Baby" |
| 4:02 |
| 8. | "Vulture Baby" | Hynes | 1:14 |
| 9. | "Chewing Gum" (featuring ASAP Rocky and Project Pat) |
| 4:24 |
| 10. | "Holy Will" (featuring Ian Isiah) |
| 4:22 |
| 11. | "Dagenham Dream" | Hynes | 2:45 |
| 12. | "Nappy Wonder" | Hynes | 2:38 |
| 13. | "Runnin'" (featuring Georgia Anne Muldrow) |
| 3:55 |
| 14. | "Out of Your League" (featuring Steve Lacy) |
| 2:21 |
| 15. | "Minetta Creek" | Hynes | 1:58 |
| 16. | "Smoke" |
| 3:33 |
| Total length: | 49:27 | ||
Credits adapted from Negro Swan album liner notes. [28]
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [29] | 99 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [30] | 40 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [31] | 161 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) [32] | 94 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [33] | 76 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [34] | 64 |
| US Billboard 200 [35] | 98 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [36] | 13 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [37] | 49 |
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 24 August 2018 | Domino | CD, digital download | [38] |
| 5 October 2018 | Double LP |
Robert Wyatt is an English retired musician. A founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole, he was initially a kit drummer and singer before becoming paraplegic following an accidental fall from a window in 1973, which led him to abandon band work, explore other instruments, and begin a 40-year solo career.
Dongs of Sevotion is the eighth studio album by Smog. It was released on April 3, 2000, in Europe by Domino Recording Company and a day later in North America by Drag City. It peaked at number 28 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.
Devonté Hynes, also known as Blood Orange and formerly Lightspeed Champion, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and director based in New York City. From 2004 to 2006, Hynes was a member of the band Test Icicles, playing guitar, synth, and occasionally performing vocals. They released one full-length album in 2005. Hynes went on to release two solo studio albums as Lightspeed Champion and subsequently five more as Blood Orange, between 2008 and 2019.
Falling off the Lavender Bridge is the debut album by British artist Lightspeed Champion, which was released on 21 January 2008. The album features the singles "Galaxy of the Lost", "Midnight Surprise" and "Tell Me What It's Worth".
The Big Pink are an English electronic rock band from London, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Robertson "Robbie" Furze, Akiko Matsuura and Charlie Barker. Initially a duo, they signed to independent record label 4AD in 2009 and won the NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act. To date, they have released five singles, with their debut album A Brief History of Love released in September 2009 and its follow-up, Future This released in January 2012.
The Seer is the twelfth studio album by the American experimental rock band Swans. It was released by Young God Records on August 28, 2012. Producer and front man Michael Gira funded the recording of the album with the sales of the live double album We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head (2012).
Cupid Deluxe is the second album by Dev Hynes as Blood Orange, and is the follow-up to 2011's Coastal Grooves. The album was released on 18 November 2013 in the UK, and was available worldwide a week earlier on iTunes on 12 November 2013.
Coastal Grooves is the debut studio album by Blood Orange. It was released August 30, 2011 under Domino Recording Company. The album featured no guest appearances and was produced by Ariel Rechtshaid in Los Angeles. Domino Record Company describes the album as highlighting the glamour and drama of New York City in the 1980s.
The discography of British singer, composer, songwriter, producer and author Dev Hynes consists of work with groups like Test Icicles and solo work produced under the aliases Lightspeed Champion and Blood Orange. This list is also comprehensive of productions credited to his given name, Devonté Hynes.
Freetown Sound is the third album by Dev Hynes recording as Blood Orange. It was released on 28 June 2016, three days before its originally announced release date of 1 July 2016. The album contains guest appearances by Empress Of, Debbie Harry, Nelly Furtado, Kelsey Lu and Carly Rae Jepsen. The album cover is a 2009 photograph titled Binky and Tony Forever by American artist Deana Lawson.
Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He gained recognition as the guitarist of the alternative R&B band the Internet, which he joined in 2015. His self-produced debut EP, Steve Lacy's Demo (2017), was met with critical praise and became a sleeper hit. Lacy then guest performed alongside Frank Ocean on Tyler, the Creator's 2017 single "911 / Mr. Lonely", which received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). That year, he also co-wrote songs for artists including Solange Knowles, and Kendrick Lamar on his song "Pride".
Hot Thoughts is the ninth studio album by American rock band Spoon. It was released on March 17, 2017, through Matador Records. It is also the first Spoon album since 2002's Kill the Moonlight to not feature multi-instrumentalist Eric Harvey, who quietly left the band after finishing a world tour in support of 2014's They Want My Soul.
Lust for Life is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Lana Del Rey, released on July 21, 2017, through Polydor and Interscope Records worldwide and Urban Records in Germany. Marking a return to the "hip-hop inspired" sound of her major-label debut, Lust for Life features production from past collaborators Rick Nowels, Kieron Menzies and Emile Haynie, while also working for the first time with producers Boi-1da, Max Martin, Benny Blanco and Metro Boomin. It also features guest appearances from The Weeknd, ASAP Rocky, Stevie Nicks, Sean Lennon, and Playboi Carti. The album and its title were announced on March 29, 2017, through a trailer on Del Rey's official Vevo channel on YouTube.
Superorganism is the self-titled debut studio album by indie pop band Superorganism, released through Domino on 2 March 2018.
This article catalogs the songwriting, musician, and production credits for Steve Lacy-Moya, better known as Steve Lacy. Lacy began his career as a guitarist and producer for the Los Angeles-based R&B/soul band, the Internet, and as a solo artist in the mid-to-late 2010s. His debut project, a song series titled Steve Lacy's Demo, was released in February 2017 and his debut album, Apollo XXI, was released in May 2019.
Angel's Pulse is a mixtape by Dev Hynes as Blood Orange. It was released via Domino Recording Company on 12 July 2019. It is his first release since his fourth studio album Negro Swan (2018). Originally released digitally, it was later released on compact disc, vinyl, and cassette tape on 4 October 2019.
House of Sugar is the eighth studio album by American musician Alex G, released on September 13, 2019, through Domino Recording Company.
Glow On is the third studio album by the American hardcore punk band Turnstile, released on August 27, 2021, via Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last album to feature founding guitarist Brady Ebert, who departed from the band in August 2022.
Mercy is the seventeenth studio album by the Welsh musician and composer John Cale. It was released on 20 January 2023 by Double Six Records, making it Cale's first album of new songs in over a decade. It features collaborations with Tony Allen, Laurel Halo, Weyes Blood, Tei Shi, Animal Collective's Avey Tare and Panda Bear, Dev Hynes, Sylvan Esso, Actress, and Fat White Family. It was inspired by current events such as Donald Trump's first presidency, Brexit, COVID-19, climate change, civil rights, and right-wing extremism.
Palo Alto (Music from the Motion Picture) is the soundtrack to the 2013 film Palo Alto directed by Gia Coppola. The album released by Domino Recording Company on June 3, 2014 features tracks from Devonté Hynes and Robert Schwartzman, the film's composers, along with Tonstartssbandht, Mac DeMarco, Nat Wolff and Jack Kilmer. A score album for the film was released on the same day.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)