Comments under the latest Instagram post by feted artist Dev Hynes (Blood Orange) run the gamut, but most are dedicated to being highly excited for his new era. More precisely, in the word's of 'Pose' star Indya Moore: "AAHHHHHHH!!!! G A G". For the first video off of the upcoming Blood Orange LP 'Negro Swan' coming August 24 - the follow-up to the excellent 'Freetown Sound' album - Hynes fills a community centre with beauty for the silky track 'Charcoal Baby', co-written by Porches' Aaron Maine.
The video was directed by Akinola Davies aka Crack Stevens and opens with a moving monologue on family (listen to every word!) and culminates in a transcendent, saxophone-lead finale.
(c) Blood Orange
In an earlier statement, Dev Hynes noted 'Negro Swan' is "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." He also mentioned that 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."
We know Solange is too excited for her friend (directing thoughts towards my amethyst point for a collab on this album) and we join in without a second thought.
You can pre-order 'Negro Swan’ digitally here, the CD / LP here and stream & save here. Blood Orange is set to tour this autumn.
CREDITS
Director: Crack Stevens - Producer/Exec: Nick Hayes - Production Company: Nuuksio Films Production Manager: Martha McGuirk - Directors Assistant: Moya De Young - Production Assistant: Islay Leefe-Griffiths - Director of Photography: Nicolai Niermann - 1st AC: Michael Hannides - 2nd AC: Josh Bloomer - 1st Assistant Director: Bryony James - 2nd Assistant Director: Oliver Waters - Runner: Pier Noble-Berry - Runner: Archie Trueger - Runner: Alex Tawney - Gaffer: Peter Bishop - Spark: Leon Pyszora - Spark: Ramzey Sabbagh - Grip: Carl "Lump" Dunn - Playback: Nathan Valente - Production Design: Studio Augmenta - Art Director: Stephanie Kevers - Art Assist: Ylan Lucas - Stylist: Ruka Johnson - Wardrobe Styling Assist: Melanie Chatelet-Adjo - Hair Stylist: Virginie Moreira - Hair Assist: Issac Poleon - Makeup Artist: Marielle Mata Mu - Assist: Mandana Mirzali - Casting Director: Chloe Rosolek - Editor: Kit Wells @ Final Cut - Offline Producer: Nikki Porter @ Final Cut - Colourist: Jason Wallis @ ETC Post Producer: Sara Gbadamosi + Chris Lewis @ ETC - Sound Designer: Fred Pearson @ Machine Sound Audio Producer: Laura Pearson @ Machine Sound
