Frank Ocean has made waves (ha!) in the past few weeks with the release of his debut album and the personal release of aspects of his identity that have only added to the media tempest around the young N'awlins native. While it can be debated day and night how significant or premeditated Frank's personal reveal was, what is not as grey is Channel Orange's place as a great debut from a strong new talent.
The singer succesfully capitalized on momentum from his Nostalgia, Ultra project and Watch The Throne appearances, and he delivered. The LP has traces of Maxwell and MJ, with hints of D'angelo and Usher. But no one influence dominates the experience -- it is clearly the Frank Ocean show.
"Thinking About You," a track that leaked a while back before the album was even announced, was promptly reworked by our favorite beat-maker around these parts, young Knxwledge, for his HexualSealings1.5 project. Knx drones out the original, trading in its smooth vibes for a slightly messy, ambient backdrop that fits rather well with a warped version of Frank Ocean's vocals.
Two young promising talents you should be keenly aware of, one can only hope a formal collaboration between Knxwledge and Frank Ocean can come to fruition soon.
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