channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean

Christopher Edwin Breaux, better known as Frank Ocean, is an alternative R&B artist and songwriter known for hiding psychedelic notes throughout his discography. He had first debuted with his hit 2012 album channel ORANGE, released by Def Jam Recordings. 

The songs in channel ORANGE convey stories and narratives from his life while also highlighting his creative lyricism as a songwriter. I will review these various lyricisms in the songs, their musical composition, and lastly, the emotions they evoke. For the sake of the album’s length, I’ll be covering a handful that are the most memorable.

“Thinkin’ Bout You”: The opening beat is vivacious and quite addictive. To me, the song is about longing for the person you desire to “think about you.” Ocean sings about whether or not his love was ever reciprocated and seen as something that would last. With the lyric “Do you not think so far ahead?” he ponders what his old significant other thought about their relationship. The song’s beat and vibe were kept to a minimum; it was very chill. I rate it a 7/10.

“Sierra Leone”: Ocean opens the song with “Spendin’ too much time alone” and “We’re behaving like teenagers.” This refers to him alluding to an unplanned teen pregnancy. The lyrics then explain him navigating his newfound responsibilities whilst reflecting on his past with his baby mother. The flow was pretty catchy. I rate it a 7/10. 

“Sweet Life”: The song’s first 50 seconds describe a person with the luxuries of a person “living in Ladera Heights, the black Beverly Hills.” The person’s “Sweet Life” is an allegory for how one’s wealth can overshadow problems in the real world; they are blinded by their riches and substance, lacking the emotional depth and awareness of what society really is. “You’ve had a landscaper and housekeeper since you were born—So why see the world, when you’ve got the beach?” I absolutely adore the message that the song portrays, as many people are truly blinded by the ignorance and beauty of their own experiences. I rate it a 9/10. 

“Pyramids”: “Pyramids” is split into two halves: one being an ancient narrative about the loss of the King’s beloved Cleopatra, and the modern narrative of a person falling in love with another, coincidentally also named Cleopatra. Comparing the two points of time, the song delves into the complexity of love and how it evolves from showing up in ancient civilizations like the Pyramids to a club called “the Pyramids.” This is my favorite song from Ocean; both halves of the song have distinct sounds and feelings to them, making the 9:52 run time feel too short. I rate it a 11/10.  

“Monks”: In this song, Ocean writes about his relationship with a groupie he meets on tour. He alludes to spiritual and religious journeys to the worship and love the groupie has towards him. “We’re lost in a jungle underneath these clouds. There’s a monsoon that never ends.” I like how the song is very indirect with the message it’s trying to convey. You need to really listen to the lyrics to quite understand what he’s trying to prove. I rate this song a 7/10. 

“Pink Matter”: “Pink Matter” is one of Ocean’s most complex and beautiful songs, truly showing the aptitude of his songwriting capabilities. To me, his usage of “pink matter” symbolizes his respect, love, and deep respect for femininity; “gray matter” is his unknown, and his “blue matter” is the potential love for masculinity. “Cotton candy, Majin Buu…” His diction, like switching from the different colored “matters”, shows the indecisiveness of his sexual orientation throughout the whole song. The first line of the song suggests his objectification of women and his shamefulness, which is later addressed in the song. This song’s usage of the repeating bounces and beats, André 3000’s flow and inflection of the song, and their lyrics make this song an experience. I rate this song a 10.5/10. 

If you liked my review of channel ORANGE, let me know in the comment section so I can review the rest of the album!