It’s been four years since Frank Ocean released Channel ORANGE, a year and a third since he announced the existence of Boys Don’t Cry, and two weeks since he teased us with an exceedingly dull video of a soundstage that purported to be an announcement of that album’s imminent release. If you were a fan of that video but thought it could’ve used a better soundtrack, there is good news for you: Frank Ocean has just released the visual album Endless, and the accompaniment ought to look pretty familiar to anyone who spent their August 5 staring at the header video on boysdontcry.co.
As if that’s not enough, Rolling Stone is reporting that, while Endless and Boys Don’t Cry are separate projects, the latter album will be released this weekend, though it will apparently carry a different title.
Endless, meanwhile, hardly feels like a throwaway, stop-gap project, and it’s a little confusing as to why it’s not being considered the official full-length followup to Channel ORANGE. The visual album, which is streaming exclusively through Apple Music, is an airy, ethereal piece that feels more like an orchestrated suite than a collection of tracks. Contributors to the album include Jonny Greenwood, James Blake, Jazmine Sullivan, Sampha, and Arca.
As for what shape the erstwhile Boys Don’t Cry will take, what its title will be, how it will differ from Endless, and whether it will still be accompanied by a print zine—stay tuned.
