Ally Carnwath 

Blood Orange: Coastal Grooves – review

Dev Hynes's latest incarnation gives the lie to those who believe he's an imitator, says Ally Carnwath
  
  


To his admirers, Dev Hynes – previously one-third of electro-punks Test Icicles and still a country crooner called Lightspeed Champion – is a restless talent; to his critics, he's a well-connected pastiche artist. But his latest project deserves to settle the argument in his favour. On paper, its influences – surf punk, Prince, oriental pop, minimalist dance – smack of hipster posturing, but on record, they blend beautifully: Hynes's falsetto thaws through the chilly synth lines of gorgeous closer "Champagne Coast", while "S'Cooled" combines funk with twitchy unease. More of the same please.

 

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