New Artist – Frank Ocean
This guy will really soar in 2012
So this is a cruise singer right?
Nope, he might sound like a Hawaiian-shirted Sinatra covers artist that appears every 2am on board a ferry in the Caribbean, but actually this is the “singer” from Odd Future. And he was actually born Christopher Breaux, although he changed his name legally after moving from hurricane-struck Louisiana to LA.
I’m sure I’ve heard the name before.
You probably have. He contributed to that massive release that was Kanye and Jay-Z’s Watch The Throne. He also just came second in the BBC Sound Of 2012 poll, has written songs for John Legend and Beyoncé and has worked with Nas. He’s well worth checking out in his own right though.
Like what?
Head to NME’s Soundcloud of 100 new bands (which is an almost bottomless resource of new music to hear his take on Hotel California. No, really. Guitar solos and all. It’s called American Wedding.
What else is worth checking out?
His two singles, Novacane and Swim Good are good stops. Keep an eye on him, though, We reckon he’ll really start to soar this year, especially after Odd Future inevitably implode in a landslide of their own hype. He’s signed to Def Jam who, you know, kind of have a good record at making people mahoosive.
Tim Chester is deputy editor at nme.com
