Listen to Blood Orange’s Soulful Single “Charcoal Baby”

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Blood Orange’s Charcoal Baby embraces the concept of being different.

Originally released as an advance single from the group’s fourth studio album Negro Swan, Charcoal Baby surfaced as the band’s latest release since 2016. Both Charcoal Baby and another advance single, Jewelry, were released earlier this summer.

The R&B group, led by singer Devante Hynes, emerged in 2009 and has since released four projects, including  Coastal Grooves (2011), Cupid Deluxe (2013), Freetown Sound (2016) and Negro Swan (2018).

Charcoal Baby begins with a serene and soulful vibe as its guitar and vintage electric drums prepare you for the first verse. The song’s smooth vocals then gently flow through you as Blood Orange sings, “When you wake up/It’s not the first thing that you want to know.”

As the song slowly reveals its chorus, the oddly-tuned guitar strums cease as the base and drums elevate the chorus’ momentum.  The pleasant transition also produces the lyrics, ” Can you still count / All of the reasons that you’re not alone?”

The tuning of the guitar instantly distinguishes the track as it’s uniquely-manipulated strums accompany Charcoal Baby’s soulful 80s music vibes. In fact, while listening to the song, you’ll notice the guitar seems to be partially out of tune. But according to Hynes, this was intentional.

Hynes explained the makings of that distinct sound in an interview with Pitchfork.

“I put two different vinyl effects on it, warping at different speeds, so the guitar is, like, completely out of tune on the whole song, but the bass kind of keeps it locked in.”

In the same interview, Hynes also explained his reasoning behind the Charcoal Baby’s vocals.

“I wanted something that felt a bit more joyous for, quite simply, a celebration of black skin,” Hynes said.

Thus, his following lyrics also seem to create a sense of relatability for anyone, who’s ever felt overlooked:  “No one wants to be the odd one out at times/ No one wants to be the Negro Swan.”

For anyone who’s ever felt excluded or systematically disadvantaged, the concept behind the “negro swan” grows substantially clearer as the chorus gently unfolds.  This is the beauty of Charcoal Baby. It’s simple lyrics convey a message that can be applied to anything or anyone who doesn’t meet societal expectations.

As for the overall project, you can now stream and enjoy all of Negro Swan’s 16 songs here!

Keep up with Blood Orange’s moves on Instagram, Official Website, Spotify and iTunes!

The post Listen to Blood Orange’s Soulful Single “Charcoal Baby” appeared first on Verge Campus.

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