Frank Ocean - Pyramids

The part time OFWGKTA member, full time R'N'B singer Frank Ocean dropped a new free single on his Soundcloud  last night (8.6.12), a (just under) 10 minute track called 'Pyramids'. This song sounds a little bit what it would be like if the club never ended. But thankfully the club is a 6, and they didn't put on JLS, Lil' Wayne or Jessie J - so it's slightly more tolerable. It's a light hell, the kind that itches the skin but doesn't quit flay it off.

Now, like I tend to do with artists of his ilk, I am downplaying the quality here. It's actually quite a good track. It progresses quite well, with some very nice elements to it, and despite its length is surprisingly toothsome and consistent. There is some nice synth work in here, a nice arpeggio that appears every now and again, like a musical representative of the girl he's singing about (in said club), passing by every now and then, and gaining his attention (I have no idea if this song is about a girl, I just naturally assume this with an R'N'B track - girls, the immortal prize). When it reaches the middle mark (4.30-ish), it very neatly segues into the second episode of the track in quite a progressive and classic electro approach. I do get a sense that Ocean does take a lot of influence from both classic electro artists and modern R'N'B equally - keeping it fresh for people into that kind of genre, and adding considered, retro elements to keep it interesting and funky.

I did like the track. If there is one thing I could say that ruined it for me slightly, it was actually Ocean's vocals. I don't think it added to the track with much flair, it kind of detracts away from the instrumentation and makes you wish that everyone didn't want to be a singer, even good producers. I'm lookin' at you, Cher Lloyd. Stick to what you're good at.

I also like the Simpsons-esque artwork, however there is a bit of Kanye West's MBDTF in there - slightly.

Eliot Humphreys