Angel's Pulse [Mixtape]
by Blood Orange
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
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  1. lulabymusic
    Aug 22, 2019
    9
    This is so completely at ease Dev Hynes is recording his next magical mixtape album called “Angel’s Pulse”, which was quite an unusual phenomenon for today's music industry, but was widely distributed in the era of tape carriers.
    The magic of the Blood Orange music still works wonders and ends up in the playlist for a long time. The album came out thin and delicate, leaving after    This is so completely at ease Dev Hynes is recording his next magical mixtape album called “Angel’s Pulse”, which was quite an unusual phenomenon for today's music industry, but was widely distributed in the era of tape carriers.
    The magic of the Blood Orange music still works wonders and ends up in the playlist for a long time. The album came out thin and delicate, leaving after listening a pleasant train of tender feelings and peace.    … Expand
  2. MOReview
    Jul 30, 2019
    8
    Not Blood orange’s most dense album, but lots of cool ideas floating around. The vibes in songs like Something To Do and Baby Florence are euphoric , and Benzo and Dark and Handsome are some of Dev Hynes’ best work. Not a complete album , but he calls it a mixtape for a reason and I’m very excited to see where he goes from here.
  3. coolcrowe
    Jul 29, 2019
    10
    Captivating, concise and addictive, this mix-tape begs many repeat listens. Though not as dense or heavy as his LPs, it wastes none of its space, and remains engaging throughout. There are also many true treasures here, and any Blood Orange fan will find much to love. Dark and Handsome invites the listener in to Hynes' emotional makeup with warm and embracing tones while lyricallyCaptivating, concise and addictive, this mix-tape begs many repeat listens. Though not as dense or heavy as his LPs, it wastes none of its space, and remains engaging throughout. There are also many true treasures here, and any Blood Orange fan will find much to love. Dark and Handsome invites the listener in to Hynes' emotional makeup with warm and embracing tones while lyrically delivering a raw and gut-wrenching testimony of grief, depression and withdrawal. Baby Florence (Figure) makes good use of the contrast between its pulsating rhythms and its reflective, contemplating vocals to draw you into its melancholic mood; it only lasts a moment though, before Gold Teeth comes in and demands the listener jam along with some cleverly executed guest appearances. Tuesday Feeling has one of the catchiest verses on the mix, though it iterates over the artist's frustration and anxieties in a monotonous mantra of emotional disconnection and distance. Take It Back, one of the boldest tracks here, starts off with similarly chant-like lyrics layered and echoed upon themselves to create the impression of a blur of thoughts before giving way to a beautiful, sultry and entrancing vocal performance by Arca. Joba's contribution to the same track is jarring at first in its contrasting anger and aggression, but upon repeat listens it does find a place in the mix. Ultimately this stands as a wonderfully executed collection of songs that each attempt to capture the essence and true emotions of the themes they explore and transpose them onto the listener's own experience, which is as cathartic as it is enjoyable. It also has the ever-important quality that defines a real hit: once you finish it, it's hard not to just start it over again from the beginning.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. AllMusic
    Dec 13, 2019
    70
    Production-wise, this roams around with some abrupt switches, supplying slow-motion and spaced-out grooves, low-profile boom-bap, and wayward guitar scrawl with highest frequency. Hynes' downcast disposition and the return of several Negro Swan collaborators -- Lu, Isiah, Pat, and Porches -- provide the continuity.
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  2. PopMatters
    Jul 24, 2019
    70
    Angel's Pulse is reminiscent of soup. A thick soup. A lot of these tracks feel directionless, monotonous, or like scraps. But still, there's something that makes you want to enter them. They're a bunch of staccato dreams you have during a fitful nap. You can't sleep for days. You find yourself in the haze.
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  3. The Observer (UK)
    Jul 22, 2019
    60
    It’s immersive, but bar a couple of songs and features (Southern rap don Project Pat and enigmatic MC BennY RevivaL are both standouts) it lacks the urgency or vitality of its two predecessors. Instead, this is a lounge-y mixtape that drifts comfortably within Hynes’s beautiful sonic realm.
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