The wait is over, fam: the highly anticipated follow-up to Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange is finally here. Last night, Ocean dropped a visual album titled Endless, available exclusively on Apple Music. Representatives have teased “more new music” coming this weekend, so it’s possible we’ll get Boys Don’t Cry in addition to this visual album sometime in the next few days. While I’m lamenting the death of glorious Frank memes (RIP), I’m really hoping the mysterious album campaign (and its accompanying hype) pays off.
As we learn more about the album, the credits for Endless reveal some high-profile collaborators – including Venezuelan producer Arca. Ghersi first broke out with 2013’s &&&&& mixtape, a project that heralded the Caracas-born artist as a virtuosic, political, and powerful new voice in electronic music.
Ghersi has programming credits on “Mine,” a 30-second interlude that consists of Ocean’s chopped mumbles and whispers. According to the credits at the end of the visual album, the track was recorded at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios, where legends like Pink Floyd and The Beatles created some of their most celebrated works.
The lyrics to “Mine” are relatively unintelligible, but the interlude’s warped abstraction is signature Arca, echoing previous projects like his critically acclaimed albums Xen and Mutant, as well as his recent Entrañas mixtape.
https://twitter.com/arca1000000/status/766621711064264704
Ghersi has developed an extensive career as a collaborator, teaming up with Bjork to co-produce her gorgeous Vulnicura album. Most recently, he linked with Shayne Oliver of streetwear brand Hood by Air for a noise project called Wench. He’s also worked with director Jesse Kanda on a film titled Trauma, as well as Kanye West’s controversial Yeezus record. Last November, Ghersi released UK2UK mixtape, a joint venture with British conceptual artist Dean Blunt.