When The Sun Is Ruined

Frank Ocean “Pink + White”

A very large portion of Frank Ocean’s Blonde has no percussion, or at least none in the form of traditional physical percussion or drum programming. Things like organ vamps or palm muted guitar will keep the tempo in some places, but in others, it’s just this free-floating ambience and Frank’s voice. I’m a bit conflicted about this: It is very interesting and bold, but the absence can scream “ARTISTIC DECISION!” in a way that drowns out the actual songs. It’s good for vibe and theme, but some songs sound like they would be improved by the shape and dynamics that good drumming can provide. It is often quite boring. It certainly doesn’t help that most of the best cuts on the record actually do have percussion.

“Pink + White” is one of the few songs with full percussion on Blonde, and it is not coincidentally the best song on the album. It’s an exceptionally elegant Pharrell Williams production, and frames Ocean’s voice with piano chords that ripple and pulse like small waves on the shore. He’s singing about having no control over life, at least in the sense that you can’t just linger forever in the prettiest moments. Ocean is known for obsessing on nostalgia, but this song is a bit more complicated than reckoning with memories or fearing that the good times are about to dry up. This is more about finding peace in perspective and the passage of time, while still joking “bitch, I might like immortality!” in a way that suggests he doesn’t care too much about dying but can’t bear to stop experiencing life.

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