On August 29, Devonte Hynes, under the alias of Blood Orange, released his newest album called “Essex Honey.” This album stands as the sixth album in his discography, released a whole six years after the release of the last album, “Angel’s Pulse.” After the release of “Angel Pulse,” Hynes seemed to have lost his inspiration for writing music. That was until 2023, when his mother became deathly ill and, unfortunately, passed away. While visiting her every day in Essex, England, Hynes was flooded with nostalgia and memories, which rekindled his childhood dedication to making music.

“Essex Honey” proves to be a very emotional album, telling a story about Hynes’s grief and memorable upbringing in Essex. With the usage of synth, piano, and angelic vocals, “Essex Honey” is another display of the classic Blood Orange sound: dreamy and tranquil. This album features other respectable artists, including Caroline Polachek, Lorde, and Daniel Caesar, together forming beautiful harmonies and amazing tracks in general. Here are four out of 14 tracks that especially stand out.

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“Vivid Light”

“Perfect nights, that still deceive me every week

I couldn’t eat

I wasn’t falling for the hope

Something that you said you’re used to”

The memories of his past haunted Hynes so badly that he fell into a deep depression. He wasn’t taking care of his body or his mind, displaying an unfortunately common side effect of grief. The vivid light and inspiration in his life was now dulling. The instrumentals of this track are silky and smooth with a flute in the background that makes the song feel like a cold breeze on a lonely night.

“Countryside (feat. Eva Tolkin, Liam Benzvi & Ian Isiah)”

“Another morning here without you

Thinking where did our time go?

As my chest begins to tighten

I seek comfort in the leaves”

As Hynes recalls memories with his late mother, he is reminded every time that she is no longer with him. With these painful thoughts, he seems to feel better being in the rural countryside of Essex, or to him: home. This track was released prior to the full album release, serving as a sneak peek single that garnered fans’ excitement and anticipation for the album.

“Scared of It”

“Couldn’t face the end of it

Pretend I’m not scared of it

Everything you knew has gone away

But you’re better alone, ooh

Forget you’re alone”

The loss of his mother left Hynes feeling lost, lonely, and afraid. He could not escape these feelings, but instead of facing them head-on, he would’ve rather just pretended they did not exist, the easier route. The calm yet dissonant instrumentals, featuring the band Turnstile, mirrors the harsh emotions that comes with the journey of hurting from grief and the quiet of avoiding it.

“Look at You”

“Knowing the truth

About love and a loss of youth?

Can’t choose your day

You are told you must go a way

How can I live

Knowing that’s all we give?”

A loved one’s death not only causes sadness, but also realization. Hynes’s innocent youth was destroyed by his mother’s passing, leaving him with existential questions about life and truly living it. As the first track on the album, the opening guitar and synth makes listeners feel like they are finally opening their eyes and also their minds.

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“Essex Honey” explores the many complex feelings that come with grief. Being one of Hynes’s most emotion-packed and heavy albums in his discography, this album really displays his lyrical talent as well as his natural musical gift. He was able to turn this life-changing incident into a piece of art that his fans can experience or even relate to, not just simply stating his grief but also allowing listeners to feel it with him.