Devonté Hynes has announced Essex Honey, his first new studio album as Blood Orange since 2018’s Negro Swan. The record is set for release on August 29 via RCA and was written, produced, and recorded entirely by Hynes.
Accompanying the announcement are two new tracks: “Somewhere in Between” and “Mind Loaded.” The latter features contributions from Caroline Polachek, Lorde, and Mustafa.
Essex Honey boasts an extensive lineup of collaborators, including Daniel Caesar, Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates, Tariq Al-Sabir, Ian Isiah, Tirzah, Eva Tolkin, Wet singer Kelly Zutrau, Liam Benzvi, Amandla Stenberg, Naomi Scott, and acclaimed author Zadie Smith.
The album follows a period of prolific output for Hynes. Since Negro Swan, he has released the Angel’s Pulse mixtape, the Four Songs EP, and scores for projects including Mainstream, In Treatment, and Master Gardener. The album’s lead single, “The Field,” was released previously in conjunction with a tour announcement.
