Blood Orange

Coastal Grooves Domino Records***

Dev Hynes's recording and production history would be impressive enough for any 25-year-old, but the newest endeavour from the artist also known as Lightspeed Champion is a decidedly different proposition to the sweet folk-pop he usually peddles. Blood Orange focuses on the funky murmur of bass, sharp snaps of drum, and echoed, barely there vocals. Intriguing, perhaps, but his method doesn't always work. Much of Coastal Groovessinks into a murky swamp of monotony, too samey to engage. Salvation comes in the form of Forget It, a balmy, adventurous pop tune, while the addition of audible guitar and piano on Are You Sure You're Really Busy? adds zing to its melancholic stalk. As side projects go it's a passable effort, but one that coasts more than it grooves. See bloodorange forever.tumblr.com

Download tracks: Forget It, Are You Sure You're Really Busy?