Debut mixtape (the one I reviewed previously turned out to just be a compilation) of OFWGKTA's singer Frank Ocean. Where as OFWGKTA (popularly known as Odd Future) is mainly hip-hop based, Frank Ocean has a smooth R&B feel to his music, which is accompanied by smooth instrumentals, and even smoother vocals.
"I believe that marriage isn't between a man and woman, but between love and love."Frank Ocean's music on this album has a strange feeling to it. Frank isn't childish, but he's a child of the 90s, completely in love with video games and anime, with a heart easily broken, but also with the ability to shatter others. The title of this mixtape, 'Nostalgia, Ultra' is perfect, because it's hard to convey in words just how this mixtape makes me feel, but it has an odd feeling of making me feel nostalgic, no matter what the song's about, even about things I haven't experienced, he has an ability to make you go back in time mentally, just with the soft sounds of his music. Bad description or acid trip? Both.
I'm not sure who made the beats on this album, but they're absolutely great, from the groovy beat of 'Novacane' in which Frank describes him taking drugs with a girl to get closer to her, to bring himself into her world, and 'Swim Good', an absolutely great song about trying to live with regret, but ending up trying to end your life by driving your car right into the ocean.
"I'm about to drive into the ocean, I'mma try to swim away from something bigger than me, kick off my shoes and swim good, take off this suit and swim good..."One thing Frank loves other than women is music. He sings soulfully over Coldplay's 'Strawberry Swing', Mr. Hudson's 'There Will Be Tears', MGMT's 'Electric Feel', and even the Eagles' 'Hotel California' as 'American Wedding'.
This album originally didn't stick with me much, but so much of it is leagues above other R&B artists, from the beats, the production, the lyrics, and the amazingly smooth vocals. This is now an album I return to every so often, and each time, I'm still amazed at his charming personality and ability to take you back to simpler times, while giving an innocent look at life, from someone who just wants to be happy, and make the people around him happy. Frank is OFWGKTA's key to truly reaching a new audience, and he isn't gonna mess it up.
8/10
Recommended tracks: Strawberry Swing, Novacane, Swim Good
