Holly Lamb reviews Frank Ocean’s latest single
Frank Ocean is somewhat of an elusive figure of fame, releasing music that is beautifully created and untainted by the commercial industry. Following the surprise release of ‘DHL’ a few weeks ago, he dropped ‘In My Room’. The track was co-produced with Michael Ozuwuru, a previous collaborator on previous Ocean releases such as ‘Chanel’.
Ocean chooses a subtle beat and synth line to blur his concoction of cloud rap and trap, a stark contrast to the enigmatic, emotional, and rather transcendent Blonde. As ever the lyrics of ‘In My Room’ are still intriguing: ‘You won’t flinch when camera’s flashing, flashing. Not fake laid back, no it’s natural. And I think you made for the life I lead’.
A subtle beat and synth line to blur his concoction of cloud rap and trap
Ocean has often opted to avoid publicity and attention, withdrawing himself physically; however, mentally, his music is incredibly stimulating, tackling issues such as corruption, fame, sexuality and mental health.
As ‘In My Room’ unfolds, the rap is suddenly diffused at the bridge by Ocean’s pleading voice: “Quit being violent with me”, with his admission that the mysterious friend, lover, or maybe even alter-ego makes him ‘violent’.
In essence, the song encapsulates Ocean’s ability to convey striking, at times troubling images, that are often reflective of his personal experience, whilst still balancing an element of universal understanding for his audience, which is fundamentally rare and incredibly distinct. Whether ‘In My Room’ marks the future prospect of an album is uncertain, all we can know is that Ocean is as unpredictable and versatile as ever.
