Freetown Sound
by Blood Orange
  • Record Label: Domino
  • Release Date: Jun 28, 2016
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
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  1. The Observer (UK)
    Jul 5, 2016
    60
    On bravura cuts like EVP or the electronic ballad But You, Hynes has both funk and gossamer production skills, the better to unify this sprawling project. Elsewhere the patchwork of sounds don’t quite gel as heroically as you would have hoped.
  2. DIY Magazine
    Jul 1, 2016
    60
    At an hour in length, though, and spewing at the seams with new sounds and concepts, Freetown Sound is more a vessel for Dev Hynes’ production prowess than Blood Orange’s flag in the sand.
  3. The Independent (UK)
    Jun 29, 2016
    60
    Devonté Hynes’ latest outing as Blood Orange takes the soft-soul stylings of 2013’s Cupid Deluxe and mashes them together with African voices and percussion, saxophones and vox populi samples to create a sonic collage that seeks to marry the vision of Marvin Gaye with the methods of Frank Zappa. That’s a considerable ambition, and unsurprisingly it falls well short much of the time.
  5. The Guardian
    Jun 28, 2016
    60
    It’s often passionate, illuminating and fascinating, it frequently bears the hallmarks of self-indulgence, and some of it, you get the feeling, might only make sense to its author.

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Best Album of 2016
93
#93 Most Shared Album of 2016

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 100 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 100
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 100
  3. Negative: 4 out of 100
  1. VonSeux
    Oct 2, 2016
    6
    wow calm down people , you seem to be hyping up this record for external factors other than music, while not bad at all, it's a pretty basicwow calm down people , you seem to be hyping up this record for external factors other than music, while not bad at all, it's a pretty basic album with a poor-mans-Prince sound ; certainly this is an artistist worth keeping an eye on, but nothing groundbreaking or "album of the year" here… Full Review »
  2. BrokenTel
    Jul 7, 2016
    9
    Atmospheric, honest and funky, I love getting lost in this album. The warm mixtape vibe and fluid sequencing helps draw you in but it's Dev'sAtmospheric, honest and funky, I love getting lost in this album. The warm mixtape vibe and fluid sequencing helps draw you in but it's Dev's songwriting skills that take the cake. He masterfully incorporates all these disparate voices (poets, documentary samples, singers like Debbie Harry, Nelly Furtado, Carly Rae Jepsen and Empress Of among others..) with his own to create this cohesive collage of yearning and searching voices. People wondering aloud about love and their place in the world. The album gains power as the lyrics, context and themes sink in. Songs that I thought were boring ('Hands Up', 'Hadron Collider') develop an emotional resonance and the cheesy ones ('But You', 'Juicy 1-4') become not so cheesy when I'm humming them after repeated listens. Dope album with feeling.… Full Review »
  3. misfortune
    Jun 30, 2016
    10
    Possibly one of the greatest albums of this year, Freetown Sound shimmers and shines with masterfully crafted lyrics, spectacular vocals, andPossibly one of the greatest albums of this year, Freetown Sound shimmers and shines with masterfully crafted lyrics, spectacular vocals, and impeccable production.… Full Review »
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