The wait is over. Four years removed from his Grammy-nominated masterpiece Channel Orange, Frank Ocean has finally released its follow-up.
Entitled Endless, it’s presented in the format of a 45-minute “visual album” streaming exclusively via Apple Music, according to a representative for the R&B singer, who adds, “Keep an eye out this weekend for more from Frank.” Watch Endless here.
According to the credits at the end of the video, Endless contains 18 tracks. Most notably, there’s a cover of the Isley Brothers’ “At Your Best (You Are Love)” featuring James Blake on synthesizer and strings from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood and the London Contemporary Orchestra.
Other contributors include Sampha, who sings on “Alabama”; R&B vocalist Jazmine Sullivan who appears on several tracks including “Alabama”, “Wither”, “Hubolts”, and “Rushes”; and, perhaps most surprisingly, bedroom lo-fi artist Alex G, who plays guitar on “Wither”, “Slide On Me”, “Rushes”, and “Higgs”. Björk producer Arca is credited as the programmer on “Mine”.
The album was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, and Mercer Hotel in New York City.
Ocean previously announced Boys Don’t Cry as the title of his next studio album. At the moment, it’s unclear whether he’s simply changed the album’s name, or that Endless serves as a precursor to Boys Don’t Cry. Update: According to a report from Rolling Stone, a second album will be released this weekend. It won’t be titled Boys Don’t Cry, however, as Ocean has reportedly opted for an “alternate title,” Rolling Stone adds.
Endless Tracklist:
01. Device Control
02. At Your Best (You Are Love) (feat. James Blake, Jonny Greenwood, and the London Contemporary Orchestra)
03. Alabama (feat. Sampha and Jazmine Sullivan)
04. Mine (feat. Arca)
05. U-N-I-T-Y
06. Ambience 001: In A Certain Way
07. Commes Des Garcons
08. Ambience 002: Honeybaby
09. Wither (feat. Alex G and Jazime Sullivan)
10. Hubolts (feat. Jazmine Sullivan)
11. In Here Somewhere
12. Slide On Me (feat. Alex G)
13. Sideways
14. Florida
15. Deathwish (ASR)
16. Rushes (feat. Alex G and Jazime Sullivan)
17. Rushes To
18. Higgs (feat. Alex G)