Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes radiates warmth and nostalgia through “Countryside,” a sun-soaked escape from grief and a tender reflection on healing.
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Stream: “Countryside” – Blood Orange
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Golden strands of hayfield grass glow against the blue morning sky in the luminous sun.
In the distance, a brick wall anchors a city facade of painted stacks. The paint flakes into a pebbled alleyway down the street. A young Dev Hynes carries his memories as he strolls to escape into his very own “Countryside,” finding solitude from deep grief.
Blood Orange, the musical project of artist and producer Dev Hynes, shares his unique perspective through both sound and story. His instruments evoke an eclectic, avant-garde R&B daydream, crafting a timeless groove that transcends melancholy reflection. Six years have passed since Angel’s Pulse, and now he kicks up the soil as he harvests stories of himself and his closest friends. His musical influences, including Elliott Smith and The Replacements, have shaped his growth. He creates a new sonic palette that breathes fresh life into his evolving discography.
His first full-length album since 2019, Essex Honey, was released on August 29th via RCA Records. It explores an inner experience and a journey toward healing the mind. The album unlocks a sense of freedom and presence, leaving a personal impression and reflection of his youth. His accompanying self-directed music video, “Countryside,” is a blended narrative with a nostalgic film overlay that deepens the record’s emotional world. The video is paired with a number of collaborators, including Eva Tolkin, Liam Benzvi, and Ian Isiah. Their work supports his harmony and reflects his cathartic songwriting process and expression.
Did you look outside the window?
Did it make you think of me?
As the mist begins to settle
And the city starts to breathe
Take me away to the broken light
Could it be that you’re alive?
Take me away to the countryside
In the fields trying to hide
Blood Orange invites listeners to reconsider their surroundings through a softer lens. Amidst the shimmer of water and vegetation, the atmospheric sounds calm the mind. Hope is layered between each beat, within the fresh air. This is a space where listeners can find stillness — where they can sit within a new mindfulness, closing their eyes and leaning into the environment behind the steady cadence of drums. The soulful keys ground the listener, uplifting light and grace within the melodic soundscape.
Another morning here without you
Thinking where did our time go?
As my chest begins to tighten
I seek comfort in the leaves
Take me away from the broken light
Could it be that you’re alive?
Take me away to the countryside
In the fields trying to hide
Blood Orange crafts a deeply personal ballad on “Countryside,” helping listeners transform grief into a quiet strength.
As the song fades into the distance, “Countryside” is driven by his self-produced instrumentation, experimenting with reversed key progressions and textured layering that echo his sustained growth as an artist. The result invites listeners to seek a similar resonance — a soft space of reflection and renewal.
For further listening, Essex Honey is a sensory experience that allows everyone to escape. Each track contributes to a sentimental soundtrack that evokes freedom and shifts the mind from uncertainty. There is endless beauty within each note, as listeners can tune their inner compass to where they claim their own “Countryside.”
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:: stream/purchase Essex Honey here ::
:: connect with Blood Orange here ::
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Stream: “Countryside” – Blood Orange
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© Vinca Peterson
© Vinca Peterson
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