‘DHL’, the new single from the ever reclusive Frank Ocean, comes out just after a spike in public activity from the artist. The track comes only a few days after Frank’s queer club night PrEP+, named after the HIV prevention drug and inspired by a reimagining of the 1980s NYC club scene. The club night was received with mixed criticism, as well as thoughtful and well-meaning responses from Frank himself (posted to his Tumblr account). After the event, Frank posted teasers to two other songs and premiered the new single ‘DHL’ on blonded RADIO.
Even with the day to day items Frank is carefully curating, his unique brag-raps are kept low-key and his effortless cool is present nonetheless
The track finds Frank rapping over a lo-fi beat, produced by Boys Noize and driven by woozy and spacious synths. Frank Ocean is no stranger to rapping, making strong performances in the past across various rapped guest verses as well as cuts from personal projects such as Endless. Even with this history, on ‘DHL’ he uses the track to explore new areas of his abilities as a rapper. His verses tumble out in ways less direct than usual, opting instead for abstract and impressionistic raps infused within the dazed production. Frank slowly builds clarity as the track progresses. He raps about catching up on a pill and ‘XTC rollin’, the song seemingly caught in a perfect moment of dreamy euphoria. As well as the high, Frank raps about the daily comforts that he chooses, flexing luxuries and activities that seem thoughtfully cherry-picked and truly appreciated; not needing to worry about his studio session fees, dressing in his own coats to Paris fashion week, and carrying Rimowa luggage. Even with the day to day items Frank is carefully curating, his unique brag-raps are kept low-key and his effortless cool is present nonetheless. Elsewhere on the track, Frank mentions casual relationships with ‘boy-toy’s and women. He’s as calm and fluid as ever, once again proving himself as an endlessly malleable artist who remains difficult to pin down, but always inspiring.
He’s assured in everything, free to take such a moment of revelry after a decade of creating innovative and sublime music that has altered the landscape of modern music
Towards the end of the single, Frank gets into a calm but steady flow, boasting ‘I’m already rich as f**k’. Coming from another artist, this is the kind of line on such a laidback track that could even sound like complacency, a turning point at which you can see a musician switch on cruise control with their output. But from Frank, it sounds like a declaration of confidence in comfort. He’s assured in everything, free to take such a moment of revelry after a decade of creating innovative and sublime music that has altered the landscape of modern music. The bottom of the single’s artwork shows a highlighted silhouette of the image at the centre of the cover, alongside the silhouettes of other images that we are still yet to see. This inclusion on the cover seems in line with Franks lyrics, as he repeats ‘still sounds like it’s coming soon’ throughout the track. It seems like there’s more to come from Frank, and ‘DHL’ feels like a moment of tranquillity from one of the greatest artists of our time.
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