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Frank Ocean releases new album (not that one)

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 19 August 2016

Frank Ocean has released a new album. What? Oh, no, not that album. A different album. But the album you’ve been waiting for seemingly endlessly is still coming, apparently. What arrived on Apple Music this morning, though, is a new ‘visual album’, appropriately titled ‘Endless’.

So, right, as you’ll surely remember, Frank Ocean’s second album, ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, has been a long time coming. Its release was originally hinted at in July 2015. Then in March this year it was “maybe a month” away. It was not.

In July this year, Ocean’s website suggested it was imminent. And since then it’s been expected within 24 hours and then failed to emerge roughly twice a week. Good news though, Frank Ocean’s second album ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ may now only be 24 hours away. Although it’s not called ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ anymore, according to Rolling Stone.

Nor is it called ‘Endless’, but ‘Endless’ is the Frank Ocean album we’re here to talk about. Earlier this month, Ocean broadcast a livestream on his website showcasing instrumental music. Last night he returned to the same warehouse location for a second livestream, again playing recordings of some new material, only this time finished songs with vocals.

The stream included musical collaborations with Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, James Blake, Jazmine Sullivan, Sampha and Arca, and at the end of the broadcast the ‘visual album’, featuring much of the music aired on the livestream, was released on Apple Music. Though Apple insists this isn’t the aforementioned long-awaited second album.

An Apple spokesperson did tell Pitchfork to “keep an eye out this weekend for more from Frank”. Which may mean that Ocean’s second album proper is coming this weekend. Or it may mean that nothing is going to happen at all. He might decide he doesn’t like being rushed and go back to tinker with the album a bit more.

Anyway, you can watch ‘Endless’ here.