Negro Swan

Negro Swan is the fourth studio album by Blood Orange, an alias of British musician Dev Hynes. It was released on 24 August 2018 by Domino. The album was preceded by the singles "Charcoal Baby" and "Jewelry".

Negro Swan
Studio album by
Blood Orange
Released24 August 2018 (2018-08-24)
Genre
Length49:27
LabelDomino
ProducerDevonté Hynes
Blood Orange chronology
Freetown Sound
(2016)		 Negro Swan
(2018)		 Angel's Pulse
(2019)
Singles from Negro Swan
  1. "Charcoal Baby"
    Released: 26 July 2018
  2. "Jewelry"
    Released: 26 July 2018

Release and promotion

On 19 July 2018, Hynes shared a teaser video of the album featuring a snippet of new music, before announcing the album and making it available for pre-order later the same day.[4] The cover art features an image of Kai the Black Angel sitting on a car's front window with a white do-rag on his head and wings clipped to his back.[5][6] The album was released on 24 August 2018 through Domino.[7]

In a press release, Hynes described the album as "an exploration into my own and many types of black depression, an honest look at the corners of black existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of color. A reach back into childhood and modern traumas, and the things we do to get through it all. The underlying thread through each piece on the album is the idea of hope, and the lights we can try to turn on within ourselves with a hopefully positive outcome of helping others out of their darkness." The album focuses on these themes heavily in today's current ideals of gender and sexuality. Honesty is a very powerful tool in the production of the album because it is what bridges the gap between understanding viewpoints of oppressed groups. With songs like "Hope" and "Runnin" masculine influences are brought into analysis in order to create an understanding of how societal forces impact the ideals of sexuality. Each song on the album presses this issue with a mix of soul, R&B, and other genre's styles in order to convey a story of facing depression.The press release also stated that the album was entirely written and produced by Hynes.[8]

On 23 July, Hynes performed multiple tracks from the album at the Pitchfork Music Festival, including "Nappy Wonder" and "Charcoal Baby",[9] the latter was released as the first single from the album on 26 July with a music video directed by Crack Stevens.[10] Shortly afterwards, another single titled "Jewelry" was released, accompanied by a music video directed by Hynes, featuring an appearance from Janet Mock.[11][12]

In promotion of the album, Hynes embarked on a North American and European tour which began on 5 August at the Osheaga Festival and ended on 8 November in Copenhagen.[9]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.0/10[13]
Metacritic84/100[14]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]
The A.V. ClubA[16]
The Guardian[17]
The Independent[2]
NME[18]
The Observer[3]
Pitchfork7.6/10[1]
Q[19]
Rolling Stone[20]
Uncut8/10[21]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Negro Swan received an average score of 84, based on 26 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[14] David Sackllah of Consequence of Sound stated that "Negro Swan is a grand work that gives credit to the pioneers of the culture while building a path forward within that framework, placing Hynes firmly in the canon as one of the most insightful musicians of his generation."[22] Slant Magazine's Zachary Hoskins wrote, "It's this ability to capture both sides with equal commitment—the struggle and the resistance through self-love—that makes Negro Swan Hynes's most assured, accomplished, and significant album to date."[23] The Independent critic Jazz Monroe said "While Negro Swan elaborates on Hynes's best work, he remains grounded in cosy bedroom-pop by shambling drum machines, vocal compressors and gratuitous psych pedals."[2]

In the review for AllMusic, writer Andy Kellman stated that the album, "qualifies as Hynes' most inward work, but it's a product of considerable interaction, whether the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist is handing off ideas to Diddy on the Connected-era Foreign Exchange-like "Hope", trading primary instruments with the Internet's Steve Lacy on the swirling "Out of Your League", or leaving enough room on each track for up to four additional voices, including Kelsey Lu, Amandla Stenberg, and Adam Bainbridge."[15]

Accolades
Publication List Rank Ref.
AllMusic AllMusic Best of 2018: Year in Review * [24]
NME NME’s Albums Of The Year 2018 12 [25]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2018 46 [26]
PopMatters The 70 Best Albums of 2018 31 [27]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Devonté Hynes.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Orlando"Devonté Hynes3:03
2."Saint"Hynes3:12
3."Take Your Time"Hynes2:51
4."Hope" (featuring Puff Daddy and Tei Shi)
4:00
5."Jewelry"Hynes4:32
6."Family" (featuring Janet Mock)Hynes0:42
7."Charcoal Baby"
4:02
8."Vulture Baby"Hynes1:14
9."Chewing Gum" (featuring ASAP Rocky and Project Pat)
4:24
10."Holy Will" (featuring Ian Isiah)
4:22
11."Dagenham Dream"Hynes2:45
12."Nappy Wonder"Hynes2:38
13."Runnin'" (featuring Georgia Anne Muldrow)
3:55
14."Out of Your League" (featuring Steve Lacy)
  • Lacy
  • Hynes
2:21
15."Minetta Creek"Hynes1:58
16."Smoke"
3:33
Total length:49:27

Personnel

Credits adapted from Negro Swan album liner notes.[28]

  • Devonté Hynes – vocals, production, guitar, bass, keyboards, saxophone, drums, drum programming, electronic wind instrument, piano, sampling, mixing, art direction
  • Janet Mock – narration (tracks 1, 5, 6, 13)
  • Ian Isiah – vocals (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 10)
  • Amandla Stenberg – vocals (tracks 1, 13)
  • BEA1991 – vocals (track 2)
  • Ava Raiin – vocals (track 2)
  • Adam Bainbridge – vocals (track 2)
  • Aaron Maine – vocals (tracks 2, 7)
  • Tei Shi – vocals (track 4)
  • Puff Daddy – vocals (track 4)
  • Eva Tolkin – vocals (tracks 5, 7, 10)
  • Zuri Marley – vocals (track 7)
  • Fai Khadra – vocals (tracks 9, 12, 13, 16)
  • ASAP Rocky – vocals (track 9)
  • Project Pat – vocals (track 9)
  • Diana Gordon – vocals (track 9)
  • Caroline Polachek - vocals (track 10)
  • Kelsey Lu – vocals (tracks 12, 16)
  • Georgia Anne Muldrow – vocals (track 13)
  • Steve Lacy – vocals (track 14), keyboards (track 14), drums (track 14)
  • Marti – vocals (track 16)
  • Andrew Aged – vocals (track 16), guitar (tracks 12, 16)
  • Austin Williamson (of Onyx Collective) – drums (tracks 1, 8, 15)
  • Jason Arce – flute (tracks 3, 7), saxophone (tracks 2, 5–7)
  • Mikey Freedom Hart – piano (track 4), guitar (track 10), keyboards (track 10)
  • Ben Marino – drums (track 7)
  • Malcolm – synthesizer (track 10)
  • Rob Ackwood – guitar (track 15)
  • Matthew Testa – recording (track 4)
  • Zach Brown – mix engineering assistance (tracks 1, 8, 10)
  • Mikaelin Bluespruce – mixing (tracks 1, 2, 4–7, 9–12, 16)
  • Joe Visciano – mixing (track 8), additional mixing (tracks 13–15)
  • Ana Kras – cover art
  • Matthew Cooper – design

Charts
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[29] 99
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[30] 40
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[31] 161
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[32] 94
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[33] 76
UK Albums (OCC)[34] 64
US Billboard 200[35] 98
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[36] 13
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[37] 49

Release history
Region Date Label Format Ref.
Various 24 August 2018 Domino CD, digital download [38]
5 October 2018 Double LP

References
  1. King, Jason (24 August 2018). "Blood Orange: Negro Swan". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  2. Monroe, Jazz (23 August 2018). "Blood Orange, Negro Swan review: A kind of spiritual headquarters, somewhere the disheartened can take cover". The Independent. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. Joshi, Tara (26 August 2018). "Blood Orange: Negro Swan review – a dizzying triumph". The Observer. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  4. Tully Claymore, Gabriela (19 July 2018). "Blood Orange Announces New Album Negro Swan". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  5. Gore, Sydney (19 July 2018). "Blood Orange Shares Details for Upcoming Album 'Negro Swan'". Highsnobiety. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  6. Goodman, Lizzy (23 August 2018). "How Dev Hynes, English Misfit, Became Blood Orange, R.&B. Miracle Worker". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  7. Renshaw, David (19 July 2018). "Blood Orange announces new album Negro Swan". The Fader. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  8. Bulut, Selim (19 July 2018). "Blood Orange reveals new album, Negro Swan". Dazed. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  9. "Watch Blood Orange Debut Songs From 'negro Swan' Live". DIY. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  10. Maicki, Salvatore (26 July 2018). "Watch a video for Blood Orange's new single Charcoal Baby". The Fader. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  11. Yoo, Noah (26 July 2018). "Janet Mock Stars in Blood Orange's New "Jewelry" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  12. "Janet Mock opens the stunning new Blood Orange video". Dazed. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  13. "Negro Swan by Blood Orange reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  14. "Negro Swan by Blood Orange Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  15. Kellman, Andy. "Negro Swan – Blood Orange". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  16. Maynard, Judnick (30 August 2018). "Blood Orange builds a refuge for Black stories on the exquisite Negro Swan". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  17. Cragg, Michael (24 August 2018). "Blood Orange: Negro Swan review – mercurial, woke, choppy R&B". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  18. Anka, Carl (28 August 2018). "Blood Orange – 'Negro Swan' review". NME. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  19. Howe, Rupert (October 2018). "Sweet Succour". Q (390): 109.
  20. Hermes, Will (27 August 2018). "Review: Blood Orange's Haunted, Sexy 'Negro Swan'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  21. Anderson, Jason (October 2018). "Blood Orange: Negro Swan". Uncut (257): 24.
  22. Sackllah, David (23 August 2018). "Blood Orange Realizes a Grand Vision on Negro Swan". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  23. Hoskins, Zachary (23 August 2018). "Blood Orange: Negro Swan". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  24. "The AllMusic Best of 2018: Year in Review | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  25. "Best albums of the year 2018 - NME | NME". nme.com. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  26. "The 50 Best Albums of 2018 | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  27. "The 70 Best Albums of 2018 | PopMatters". popmatters.com. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  28. Negro Swan (CD liner notes). Blood Orange. Domino Recording Company. 2018. WIGCD421.CS1 maint: others (link)
  29. "ARIA Chart Watch #488". auspOp. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  30. "Ultratop.be – Blood Orange – Negro Swan" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  31. "Ultratop.be – Blood Orange – Negro Swan" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  32. "Blood Orange Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  33. "Dutchcharts.nl – Blood Orange – Negro Swan" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  34. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  35. "Blood Orange Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  36. "Blood Orange Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  37. "Blood Orange Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  38. References per each format:
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