Blood Orange

Cupid Deluxe

Image of Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe
Record Label
Domino

About this item

Dev Hynes has so far given us trashy punk as Test Icicles, intimate confessionals as Lightspeed Champion and synth-heavy 80s pop influenced electro-funk as Blood Orange on previous long player ‘Coastal Grooves’. Sandwiched between that debut and this sophomore however was his production on Solange ‘Sister Of Beyonce’ Knowles smash hit ‘Losing You’. The smooth R&B soul of that track now informs the sound of ‘Cupid Deluxe’. A modern take on 1980s Prince ballads given an outsider pop twist perhaps. Lyrically to the album takes on the outsider theme as well, with tracks like ‘Uncle Ace’ highlighting the plight of Manhattan’s LGBT rough sleepers riding the ACE subway line at night.

Friends frontwoman Samantha Urbani, Adam Bainbridge of Kindness (whose work has a similar teary intimacy), Dirty Projectors' David Longstreth and Chairlift's Caroline Polachek all guest on vocals, Queens' Despot and London's Skepta drop raps and producer Clams Casino contributes light, skittering drums to "No Right Thing".

Dev Hynes takes New York’s LGBT scene out of the ballroom and into the bedroom for some post-Paris Is Burning contemplation.

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