“Essex Honey.” It’s a title that evokes feelings just like Dev Hynes’ other projects as Blood Orange, seemingly existing in their own worlds. A standard Blood Orange album would be characterized by the sounds of cityscapes and traffic (Freetown Sound, Negro Swan) or Hynes’ signature falsetto over ‘80s atmospheric new wave (Coastal Grooves, Cupid Deluxe). This project, however, exudes an almost avant-garde feeling, which the artist isn’t opposed to; yet its atmosphere is familiar but distinct, filled with musical juxtapositions. 

In the seven years since Hynes released a full studio project, the quietly enigmatic ‘Negro Swan’, and a follow-up to his 2022 EP ‘Four Songs,’ fans might be wondering why the long wait? In 2023, Hynes experienced the loss of his mother, undergoing a period of grief and self-reflection. On “Essex Honey,” listeners can hear the practices of self-care as Hynes reflects on his time moving back to Essex, which he used to call “Home.” 

In an interview with Zane Lowe, the global creative director and co-head of artist relations of Apple Music, Hynes contemplated Blood Orange’s uncertain direction, not long before 2023. 

“Why should it exist? What’s the point?” Hynes said. 

Following the events of 2023, the idea of “Essex Honey” was born. 

The title “Essex Honey” derives from his childhood hometown in England, where he returned and spent his time reflecting on his mother, his upbringing and nostalgia for the good times.

The record presents itself as an abstract dissection of Hynes and how grief comes and goes in various ways, essentially using unambiguous language to get the point across, as Hynes wanted to further convey relatability. You can hear it in the way he sings over melancholic, vibrant rhythms in somber tones. Such dance music can be meditative. We saw that proven last year with industry peer Charli XCX on “Brat,” which portrayed vulnerability in straightforward lyrics on tracks that sat between upbeat burners, and recently on “Virgin” by Lorde, which Hynes has writing and production credits on.

This stylistic decision doesn’t undercut Hynes’ lyrical intensity when the pivot to upbeat tracks changes. However, Blood Orange always created duality in his music, using the fine line between dance and emotionally compelling lyrics to his advantage, showcasing his strengths as an artist, effectively immersing any listener into his state of mind. That’s the case here, except it’s subtle but sorrowful in its delivery. For example, the opening track ‘Look At You’ begins with the lyric “In your grace, I looked for some meaning/ But I found none/ and I still search for a truth,” alluding to the passing of his mother but also setting up the journey within the record. To further allude to the duality, the track also begins with a haunting, muted synth and bass-kicks as Hynes sings in a breathy falsetto, soon to sound in despair on the second half of the track. 

One thing worth noting when listening to this record is the amount of referential callbacks it makes to itself on several tracks, such as the opening muted synth on ‘Look At You’, which makes a reappearance on ‘Something In Between’ during its conclusion. It’s almost like a recurring dream on loop. Even a hoarse cello coda makes its first appearance on ‘Thinking Clean’ and continues to do so throughout the record, but with each repetition, it begins to sound almost lighter, signifying, in fact, there will be light ahead under such darkness. 

Further in these references, the record touches on his childhood in Essex as several of the tracks on “Essex Honey” interpolate or nod to the music he was surrounded by during his formative years. On songs like ‘Mind Loaded,’ featuring recent collaborator Lorde, it interpolates “Everything Means Nothing To Me” by Elliot Smith and ‘Westerberg’ nodding to “Alex Chilton,” by The Replacements. While reflecting on the music he was influenced by, there’s a layer that haunts his childhood. It gives the notion that reflecting on the past can be poignant, but also proves you can’t look ahead without revisiting the past. 

In split seconds under the elegant instrumentation and buoyant arrangements, you’ll find Hynes often singing–or rather–talking to someone or himself to almost ground the listener in reality. On “The Last Of England,” the track opens with a recording of his mother as he begins to wallow in his sorrows when he sings, “Sitting in the dusk of the room you fell asleep/ Time has made it seem we can talk / but they took you away,” seemingly talking to his mother, he mourns. On other occasions, the track “Life” finds Hynes comforting and advising the current version of himself and the child he once was as he sings, “life is what you wind/ hiding in holes.” It expresses cryptic messaging but recognizes what life can bring through such experiences during and after youth, leaving a sense of bittersweetness. 

“Essex Honey” is a gorgeous record throughout. It is a result of what art is capable of, telling stories through wondrous instrumentations and expansive production, while exploring stages of grief, a signature touch of Blood Orange’s artistry. Yet the record ended with a warm embrace, learning to be assured of the good with what we have, and that’s the beauty of life as he’s explored in this album. As Hynes demonstrates, optimism and gratitude can be compelling tools, especially moving forward through the darkest of times.