Angel's Pulse

Angel's Pulse is a mixtape by Dev Hynes as Blood Orange.[1] It was released via Domino Recording Company on 12 July 2019.[2] It is his first release since his fourth studio album Negro Swan (2018).[3] Originally released digitally, it was later released on compact disc, vinyl, and cassette tape on 4 October 2019.[4]

Angel's Pulse
Mixtape by Blood Orange
Released	12 July 2019 (2019-07-12)
Length	32:26
Label	Domino
Producer	Devonté Hynes
Blood Orange chronology
Negro Swan (2018) Angel's Pulse (2019)

Promotion

At The Late Late Show with James Corden on 16 April 2019, Dev Hynes performed "Something to Do" and "Dark & Handsome" for the first time.[5]

A music video for "Benzo" was released on 15 July 2019.[6] It was directed by Dev Hynes himself.[7] In the video, Ian Isiah portrays as an aristocrat, while Hynes portrays as a cellist.[8] A music video for "Dark & Handsome" was released on 28 October 2019.[9] Directed by Dev Hynes,[10] the video includes a brief appearance from Toro y Moi, who is also featured on the song.[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	73/100[12]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[13]
Clash	8/10[14]
DIY	[15]
Exclaim!	7/10[16]
The Guardian	[17]
The Observer	[18]
Pitchfork	8.0/10[19]
PopMatters	[20]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the mixtape received an average score of 73, based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[12]

Ann-Derrick Gaillot of Pitchfork gave the mixtape an 8.0 out of 10, writing, "while 2016's Freetown Sound and 2018's Negro Swan are cinematic both in their production and overarching themes, Angel's Pulse, Blood Orange's shortest collection of songs, feels like scanning radio stations in a lovingly nostalgic memory straight from the '90s and early '00s."[19] Wilf Skinner of Clash described it as "a short mix of impressionistic sketches chock-full of collabs and spanning all manner of genres."[14]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I Wanna C U"	1:14
2.	"Something to Do"	0:51
3.	"Dark & Handsome" (featuring Toro y Moi)	2:33
4.	"Benzo"	2:30
5.	"Birmingham" (featuring Kelsey Lu and Ian Isiah)	1:33
6.	"Good for You" (featuring Justine Skye)	2:22
7.	"Baby Florence (Figure)"	2:57
8.	"Gold Teeth" (featuring Project Pat, Gangsta Boo, and Tinashe)	3:01
9.	"Berlin" (featuring Porches and Ian Isiah)	1:58
10.	"Tuesday Feeling (Choose to Stay)" (featuring Tinashe)	2:57
11.	"Seven Hours Part 1" (featuring Benny Revival)	2:40
12.	"Take It Back" (featuring Arca, Joba, and Justine Skye)	4:22
13.	"Happiness"	2:09
14.	"Today"	1:19

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[21]

• Devonté Hynes – vocals, guitar (1–3, 6, 9, 10), bass guitar (1, 3, 4, 8–13), keyboards (1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11), arrangement (3–9), drum programming (3, 4, 6–13), cello (4, 7), Rhodes piano (4, 10), synthesizer (6, 8, 10–14), double bass (7), sampler (7, 8), drums (10, 13), piano (12, 13), Moog synthesizer (13), production, mixing, art direction, design
• Ian Isiah – vocals (1, 4, 5, 9, 13, 14)
• Porches – guitar (1), drums (1), vocals (9)
• Toro y Moi – vocals (3)
• Eva – vocals (4)
• Jason Arce – saxophone (4)
• Kelsey Lu – vocals (5)
• Bryndon Cook – keyboards (5)
• Justine Skye – vocals (6, 12)
• Ex Reyes – piano (6, 9), Moog synthesizer (6)
• Project Pat – vocals (8)
• Gangsta Boo – vocals (8)
• Tinashe – vocals (8, 10)
• Benny Revival – vocals (11)
• David Ginyard – bass guitar (11)
• Arca – vocals (12)
• Joba – vocals (12)
• Dave Cooley – mastering
• Matthew Cooper – design
• Flurina Rothenberger – cover photography

Charts

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[22]	72
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[23]	33
US Billboard 200[24]	163
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[25]	40
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[26]	14

References

1. Arcand, Rob (12 July 2019). "Stream Blood Orange's New Mixtape Angel's Pulse". Spin. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
2. Strauss, Matthew (12 July 2019). "7 Albums Out Today You Should Listen to Now: Purple Mountains, Blood Orange, and More". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
3. Moore, Sam (8 July 2019). "Blood Orange announces new 'Angel's Pulse' mixtape". NME. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
4. Slingerland, Calum (23 September 2019). "Blood Orange Treats 'Angel's Pulse' to Physical Release". Exclaim!. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
5. Reed, Ryan (17 April 2019). "Watch Blood Orange Debut Two Dreamy New Songs on 'Corden'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
6. Maicki, Salvatore (15 July 2019). "Watch Blood Orange's new video for "Benzo"". The Fader. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
7. Breihan, Tom (15 July 2019). "Blood Orange – "Benzo" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
8. Kim, Michelle (15 July 2019). "Watch Blood Orange's New "Benzo" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
9. Brandt, Dean (28 October 2019). "WATCH: Blood Orange Shares Self-Directed Video for "Dark & Handsome"". Flood Magazine. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
10. Shaffer, Claire (28 October 2019). "Watch Blood Orange, Toro y Moi's Serene Video for 'Dark & Handsome'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
11. Sodomsky, Sam (28 October 2019). "Watch Blood Orange's New "Dark & Handsome" Video Featuring Toro y Moi". Pitchfork. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
12. "Angel's Pulse (Mixtape) by Blood Orange". Metacritic. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
13. Kellman, Andy. "Angel's Pulse - Blood Orange". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
14. Skinner, Wilf (12 July 2019). "Blood Orange - Angel's Pulse". Clash. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
15. Kerwick, Sean (15 July 2019). "Review Blood Orange - Angel's Pulse". DIY. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
16. Gormely, Ian (11 July 2019). "Blood Orange Angel's Pulse". Exclaim!. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
17. Petridis, Alexis (11 July 2019). "Blood Orange: Angel's Pulse review – the stuff cult heroes are made of". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
18. Joshi, Tara (21 July 2019). "Blood Orange: Angel's Pulse review – immersive and delicate mixtape". The Observer. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
19. Gaillot, Ann-Derrick (17 July 2019). "Blood Orange: Angel's Pulse". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
20. Bardhan, Ashley (24 July 2019). "Blood Orange's New Mixtape 'Angel's Pulse' Is Like a Thick Soup". PopMatters. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
21. Angel's Pulse (CD liner notes). Blood Orange. Domino Recording Company. 2019. WIGCD460.CS1 maint: others (link)
22. "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
23. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
24. "Blood Orange Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
25. "Blood Orange Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
26. "Blood Orange Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 July 2019.