Last week at a Spotify press conference in New York City, Frank Ocean played a short set. Before launching into his song “Voodoo,” he sang his own rendition of Radiohead‘s classic “Fake Plastic Trees”. The clip is only a little over a minute, but two tremendous artists incarnated in one song is just too newsworthy to pass up on. We’ve included the original version, off Radiohead’s The Bends, below.
Frank Ocean‘s stellar debut album, Channel ORANGE, elevated him to the top echelon of artists in the eyes of many music fans. On his first release since the album, Ocean shows off his versatility delivering his unique brand of songwriting in rap form. Although mostly known for his singing voice, the Odd Future affiliate has already demonstrated his abilities as an emcee on tracks like Tyler, the Creator‘s “She” and on “Blue Whale” he perfectly compliments a smooth instrumental, which maintains the sound consistent with his work as of late. There are few better ways to kick off your week than some new Frankie O. Enjoy it below!
Experimental producer, Flying Lotus, took to Twitter a few days ago to release his unfinished, innovative take on Frank Ocean‘s already awesome “Thinkin Bout You.” With sped up vocals and a soothing beat, the L.A. based artist manages to keep the corky, soulful feel of the original track all the while inducing a steady head not.
Stream this relaxing and captivating remix below and look out for Flying Lotus’s upcoming album, Until The Quiet Ends, due out on October 2nd.
Earlier this year, a snippet/teaser was released of a Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar collabo. Today a full length version of the single has blessed the webs, thanks to DJ Green. Taking the snippet and looping it with the original Shawn Chrystopher song, makes a haunting and chill mix with music’s two rising superstars. Kendrick Lamar delivers some dope verses, while Ocean keeps the vibe with a melodic hook and Shawn Chrystopher drops some words towards the end of the track. I am not sure that this is the official final version of the song because the sound is a little off in the hook, but it still makes for a good mashup. Download the track here.
Frank Ocean has come a long way, from singing hooks for his fellow Odd Future members to releasing one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the summer, Channel Orange. His stand-out single “Thinkin Bout You” gets an original twist with the help of Halifax producer Ryan Hemsworth. Using the opening strings of the original track, Hemsworth employs a soft laid-back melody, building drum beats and complimentary synths worthy of a video game to create this rhythmic remix. Hemsworth manages to put his own touch on the track without destroying its beauty. This rework will be featured on his upcoming Last Words EP dropping August 21st.
Frank Ocean recently made a truly courageous, admirable and personal statement on his Tumblr in which he came out as bisexual to his fans As important as this may potentially prove to the often homophobic hip-hop community, equally intriguing in my mind is the amazing music the dude continues to contribute to the world. His album, Channel Orange, is set to drop on July 17th and is sure to be well worth the purchase. I expect something truly innovative and eclectic from the multi-faceted Ocean. This is the second release (check out the first here) from his upcoming album and is a laid back and soulful cut that will be great to wind down after a night of Friday shenanigans. Also, look for dude on Jimmy Fallon on Monday. I have seen him live before and his voice is unbelievable in person.
There has been a lot of hype for the collaboration of Hip/hop giants, Jay-Z and Kanye West joining forces to produce the highly anticipated Watch The Throne. Does it live up to the hype? The creative production of Kanye West is definitely apparent in the album and Jay-Z never dissapointes with his connected and fluid lyricism. For me a lot is hit or miss, where a couple tracks immediately stand out better than others.
You can listen to the album yourself below and you can find it on iTunes from today on:
Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne Tracklist Continue reading
