Upon release, the album received universal acclaim from music critics, who praised the album for its bold lyrical content. The album, Channel Orange, was released on July 10, 2012. Ocean started writing songs for his debut studio album in February 2011 with songwriter and producer James "Malay" Ho, his friend and creative partner since their start in the music industry as songwriters. Ocean has also written songs for several artists, such as Brandy Norwood ("1st & Love" and "Scared of Beautiful"), John Legend ("Quickly"), Beyoncé (" I Miss You"), Bridget Kelly ("Thinking About Forever"), and Justin Bieber ("Bigger"). Ocean also made two guest appearances on the Kanye West and Jay Z collaborative album Watch the Throne, including the single " No Church in the Wild", which peaked at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Novacane" became his first single to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 82. In February 2011, he released his first major project, his first mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra, which produced two singles: " Novacane" and " Swim Good". Ocean also formed a friendship with rapper Tyler, the Creator, leader of the Los Angeles-based hip hop collective Odd Future (OFWGKTA) and subsequently became a member of Odd Future, as well as making three guest appearances on the album Goblin, including the single " She". In 2009, Ocean signed to Def Jam Recordings as a solo artist.
Following the flooding and destruction of his recording studio during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Ocean moved from his hometown of New Orleans to the Californian city of Los Angeles, where he sought to continue his musical career, eventually landing himself a songwriting contract. “I thought that I was dreaming/When you said you love me,” he repeats, addressing someone whose heart the narrator evidently broke-“It’s all right to hate me”-but affirming the relationship was still worthwhile, “the feeling still deep down is good.” The lyrics refer back to and build on themselves, so the emotional payoff is all the more powerful.Ī detailed contributor list for Blonde is still emerging, but whether Endless-credited guest Alex G plays on this song or not, “Ivy” is a percussion-less guitar-pop reverie, with palm-muted power chords doused in crystalline tones that emphasize Ocean’s word-“dreaming.” (No less than Rostam Batmanglij wrote the guitar part for the song, Pitchfork has learned.) Alex G’s warped yet tuneful, homemade-sounding indie rock bears an uncanny stamp on Blonde, but Ocean sets “Ivy” apart from other intimate strummers with the sheer force of his voice. Not shying away from comparisons to the late Prince, he ends “Ivy” by unleashing a high-pitched squeal: “ Dreamin’!” Then it’s on to the next story in the collection, the next waking dream, the next defiantly multidimensional vision of himself.Ocean performing at Coachella in April 2012Īmerican singer Frank Ocean has released two studio albums, one mixtape, 21 singles (including 5 as a featured artist) and eight music videos.
Like “ Thinkin Bout You” or the looser, cloudier “ Rushes,” a highlight from last week’s Endless visual album, here Ocean reflects poignantly on youth, love, and sex. Add to that list “Ivy,” the second track on Blonde and the first that begins with Ocean singing in his usual register.
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