A Stroll Down Blood Orange’s “Essex Honey”

Blood Orange releases fifth studio album Essex Honey

Sophie Le, Online Co-Editor-in-Chief

August 30, 2025

Album cover of artist Blood Orange’s new music “Essex Honey”

English musician Dev Hynes, who goes by the stage name Blood Orange, released his fifth studio album Essex Honey on Aug. 29th. The album contains 14 tracks and 8 of the songs contain various features. The album is themed around Hynes’ grief and growing up in Essex, England. He reflects over the loss of his mother and memories surrounding her. When I heard one of my favorite artists releasing more material to listen to, I immediately put in my headphones and pressed play. I decided to listen to this album on the way to school and these are my standout songs.

1. Countryside

Arguably my favorite song of the album. The hazy theme is prominent in this track and the layered vocals make it a truly angelic listen. The song sends you into a blissful state and makes it feel like time has slowed down.

2. Somewhere in between

Guests Caroline Polachek and Eva Tolkin provide intricate vocals over the groovy beat. When listening, I imagine myself walking through an urban city, with a sun setting in the background. The perfect song for a mid-day stroll, light but still very emotionally tuned.

3. Mind Loaded

This track is packed with honorable features. Mustafa the Poet, Caroline Polachek and Lorde make main force Blood Orange feel incredibly loose and free. The structure, or lack of it creates a lovely calming atmosphere and the verses feel like a slowly improvised conversation.

Blood Orange has been my recent go-to for music that is so versatile, it never gets old. Whether I listen to it on the way to school, on a night out or even when studying, it never fails to make whoever I’m with amazed. The album has the perfect tone for a movie soundtrack, which aligns perfectly with Dev Hynes’ career in just that. Compared to his earlier albums Freetown Sound and Negro Swan, Essex Honey feels even more personal and experimental.

Listening to Essex Honey makes you feel like you’re the main character in an artistic indie movie embracing the feelings of grief and memory. The album is worth listening to not just once, but over and over again.

album

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About the Contributor

Sophie Le, Online Co-Editor-in-Chief

Sophie Le , a senior and third-year staffer, is thrilled to be serving as Co-Editor-in-Chief this year. “This is my third year on staff, my first year as Co-Editor-in-Chief,” she shared. “Last year I started out as Opinion Editor, and yeah, this is my senior year.” Sophie is especially excited about the opportunities ahead. “I’m so excited, especially in newspaper, to gain more leadership, create a better community, and also just try things I’ve never tried in the years past.” Outside of journalism, Sophie is a passionate tennis player. “This is my fourth year on varsity tennis and my third year as captain,” she said proudly. While she doesn’t plan to play competitively in college, she adds, “I’ll probably just play for fun, maybe do like some club.” When she’s not leading a newsroom or dominating the court, Sophie finds inspiration in music. “My favorite artist is Lana Del Rey, she’s like my all-time favorite artist,” she said, adding that her current favorite song is “Thunder.” Right now, Sophie is also tackling the college application process head-on. “My goal is to survive college app season,” she admitted. “I just started opening Common App and I’m just really hoping to relax and let things flow.” She has her eyes set on the University of Florida, where she hopes to “major in public health.” As she heads into her final year, Sophie’s focus is clear: “To lead with purpose, survive the Common App, and make the most of every moment.” (Profile by Tony Wallace)