For this album of the week, I decided to go with Blonde by Frank Ocean. Blonde, released in 2016, is a contemporary R&B/psychedelic pop album. Frank Ocean infamously trolled the music industry by releasing a mediocre, low effort album with his record label, and then just a day later releasing Blonde on his own, outperforming the first album by millions. Blonde’s themes dive into falling in and out of love, family, self-love, and relationships.

One of my favorite tracks on the album is “Ivy.” It features stripped-back instrumentals, thus putting Frank Ocean’s beautiful vocals on the forefront. The lyrics explore failed relationships and the struggles that come with ending them. My favorite moment in this song is when the instrumentals strip back even more and Frank lets his emotions carry his vocals into a strenuous finish.

The next song I want to talk about is “Self Control.” It is a slower ballad, and Frank once again lets his vocals carry the song. The middle section features beautiful echoey vocals that pull you into a deep flurry of emotions. The lyrics speak of a failed relationship—once again—and the loss of control over yourself and your emotions.

“Nights,” my absolute favorite song on the album, is simply incredible. I used to listen to this song everyday to hype myself up to go to work. The instrumentals are exceptionally experimental. The mid-section of the song features a beat-switch that always catches me off guard, no matter how many times I listen to it. Frank’s vocals are once again sensational, and everything culminates into one of my favorite songs of all time.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this album to anyone looking for a more experimental pop record. I encourage you to listen to the many songs I didn’t mention in this article. Be warned though, this album tackles mature themes and uses some explicit language. I would give this album an 8/10.