To the dismay of Spotify users, R&B juggernaut Frank Ocean released his highly anticipated, multi-media double LP exclusively through Apple Music on August 20th. An integral member of the outlandish Hip-hop collective, Odd Future, Ocean was projected to release his second LP in April of 2015. However, Ocean went on an unannounced hiatus without giving any updates of upcoming projects until this past July when he hinted at the release of a new album. But now that Ocean has finally released a new project, it doesn’t matter that it’s a year late.

   Frank Ocean released Endless, his first of the two LP’s,  as a “Visual Album”. Endless was released through Def Jam recordings and is undoubtedly the most avant-garde artistic rendering Ocean has composed to date.

   Presented as a 45 minute video, the first scene of Endless is filmed inside a warehouse and depicts a pair of woodworking benches side-by-side through a black and white lens. The scene is silent with the exception of two silhouetted figures murmuring quietly. The camera angle moves across the space, unveiling a large sound system in the far right corner of the warehouse. The soft murmuring then turn into a sporadic, ambient sound with a classical backdrop. The two silhouetted figures then proceed to work on the benches while a track list of 18 songs plays in the background. With occasional features from artists ranging from James Blake to Alex G, Ocean demonstrates his knack for collaborating with the best talent in the music industry.

   Ocean chose to independently vet and release Blonde, the second LP from the dual album release, in an attempt to distance himself from Def Jam Recordings. Known for his elegance in storytelling, Blonde is seemingly more sophisticated than any of Ocean’s other work to date. Critics have speculated that the somewhat disjointed lyrics from Blonde have been lifted directly from Ocean’s personal journal.

   “Nikes”, the title track of the album, immediately demonstrates Ocean’s visionary production style. A downbeat tempo accompanied by a mellifluous auto-tuned voice plays displaying Ocean’s signature insular production methods. At exactly three minutes into the track, Ocean begins chanting the words, “I’m going to let you guys prophesize.” It’s the first time his voice has been heard on a full length studio album since his debut album Channel Orange was released in 2012. Ocean is known for his remarkable ability to transform a story into a  song, and this track is his artistic response to the disheartening epidemic of police brutality. Ocean concludes the song by singing, “RIP Trayvon, that kid looks just like me.”

   In the crown jewel track “Ivy”,  Ocean once again reminds us why he is more than just a run of the mill R&B musician. Requiring no other instrumental but a keyboard and a microphone, this track seems to reflect on youth, love, and coming of age. “I thought that I was dreaming when you said you’d love me,” Ocean croons over a simple keyboard riff. He makes reference to a complicated relationship with an ex-girlfriend that took place before he released a poignant coming-out letter to his fanbase. The song’s mounting crescendo is followed by a deeply moving silence. .

   Ocean’s ravenous fan base won’t be disappointed by this mysterious, multi-media double LP.  Incorporating innovative sounds, intriguing visual imagery and powerful lyrics, this dual LP is surely worth the wait.