André 3000 – New Blue Sun

André 3000 - 2023 (npr.org)

Albumdata

Artist André 3000
Album New Blue Sun
Year of release 2023

Rating

Introduction

On November 14, 2023, an interview with André 3000 (real name André Lauren Benjamin) was publsihed throught the website NPR. The heavily anticipated debut solo album by André 3000 was announced for release on November 17, 2023. But, it wans’t going to be an album everyone was hoping for.

I have songs but it’s not like rap things that I really feel happy about sharing. And really, that’s the most important part. I have to feel happy about sharing it. That’s why New Blue Sun was something that I realized, whoa, I really want people to hear it. I really want to share it.

I don’t want to troll people. I don’t want people to think, Oh, this André 3000 album is coming! And you play it and like, Oh man, no verses. So even actually on the packaging, you’ll see it says, “Warning: no bars.”

I laugh at it because my homies in Atlanta, we’ll talk and they’ll be like, man, you know n***** think you crazy to f*** around with this flute.

NPR, 11/14/2023

Following the release of Idlewild in 2006 it turned quiet where Outkast, the inluential hip-hop duo hailing from Atalanta, Georgia, was concerned. The members Big Boi and André 3000 released music separately. Big Boi under his own name, André 3000 guested on many songs and albums. In 2014 Outkast announced they would reunite for a tour, which brought them to The Netherlands as well. I was fortunate enough to witness them, what a party. But after that it turned quiet once more.

On May 13, 1028, André 3000 released two songs on Soundcloud. Me&My (To Bury Your Parents), a piano ballad, and Look Ma No Hands, an instrumental piece on which André 3000 played a bass clarinet. the fact that André 3000 played a lot of flute wasn’t news at all. He has been spotted on various aoccasions carrying, and playing, several types of flutes. But, what were we to expect from an album, containing what was described as experimental jazzy ambient flute music?

On November 17, 2023, it all became very real. The prodigal son had returned. Through official channels the album could be purchased on vinyl or in losless wave audio format, next to becoming availalble on various streaming services. André 3000 shared the following statement.

New Blue Sun represents a continuation of adventure and discovery for me. Even inherent in the meaning of my name André 3000, there is a wonder or looking forward to the new or what is next. This discovery has happened many times in my life and career and it’s very exciting to witness. I say ‘witness’ because I am also watching it happen along with you all and I never really know what will come or how I will respond or interpret the inspiration. We all have aspirations, ideas or plans but isn’t it the most awesome when life surprises us in a way that becomes greater than anything we could have imagined? New Blue Sun and the process in which it was recorded is that discovery and witnessing being played out in real time, alive, breathing, and improvised. It’s much more than ‘Andre’s flute album’. Ha.

André 3000, 11/17/2023

André 3000 - New Blue Sun (npr.org)

André 3000 – New Blue Sun

Review

The album is here and it starts off really well. Against expectations the first piece of music, I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time, is quite beautiful and moving even. Unfortunately, the next 4 pieces are rather formless and not very exciting. The piece Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyoncé has more form, and lasts relatively short, under 4 minutes. The rest of the album contains one other relatively short piece, where the others last well over 10 minutes, with the closing piece even clocking in at over 17 minutes.

The final 3 pieces are quite beautiful, yet rather interchangeable, ambient pieces, which sound quite lovely in the background, but ultimately don’t do justice to the genius that André 3000 irrefutably is. However, the nearly 90 minute suite of filmic ambient jazzy pieces do represent the music André 3000 is willing to share with the world and is obviously proud of, so why don’t we go along for the ride?

Songs

Composers between brackets.

  • I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time
    (Andre Benjamin, Carlos Niño, Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina)
  • The Slang Word P(*)ssy Rolls Off The Tongue With Far Better Ease Than The Proper Word Vagina . Do You Agree?
    (Andre Benjamin, Carlos Niño, Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina)
  • That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther And Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn’t Control … Sh¥t Was Wild
    (Andre Benjamin, Carlos Niño, Deantoni Parks, Nate Mercereau)
  • BuyPoloDisorder’s Daughter Wears A 3000™ Button Down Embroidered
    (Andre Benjamin, Carlos Niño, Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina)
  • Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyoncé
    (Andre Benjamin, Carlos Niño, Diego Gaeta, Matthewdavid, V.C.R)
  • Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Savior J.C. / Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, And John Wayne Gacy
    (Andre Benjamin, Carlos Niño, Diego Gaeta, Jesse Peterson, Mia Doi Todd)
  • Ants To You, Gods To Who?
    (Andre Benjamin, Carlos Niño, Diego Gaeta, Jesse Peterson, Mia Doi Todd)
  • Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens
    (Andre Benjamin, Carlos Niño, Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina)

Musicians

  • André 3000 – digital wind instrument, pedal steel guitar, contrabass flute, pedals, ‘panther toning’, Maya flute, wood/bamboo flutes
  • Carlos Niño – bells, chimes, cymbals, drums, gongs, plants, percussie
  • Nate Mercereau – guitar, synthesizer, sampling
  • Surya Botofasina – keyboards, synthesizer
  • Deantoni Parks – drums
  • Diego Gaeta – keyboards, Moog synthesizer, piano
  • Matthewdavid – ‘mycelial electronics’, electronic percussion
  • V.C.R – violin, effects
  • Jesse Peterson – bass, guimbri, pedals
  • Mia Doi Todd – vocals

In closing

What’s your take on this album by André 3000? Let me know!

Compliments/remarks? Yes, please!