Frank Ocean album ‘Channel Orange’ due July 17

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Odd Future crooner Frank Ocean announces long-awaited Def Jam debut and supporting tour.

This post has been updated, as indicated below.

Frank Ocean has been pretty quiet since his stellar debut at Coachella earlier this year, but late Thursday night the Odd Future crooner dropped a mysterious video online teasing his highly anticipated Def Jam debut.

Over a shot of a BMW station wagon, Ocean’s distinct voice is heard singing a new track about a lady (the seemingly empty car could be parked outside her house). The brief teaser serves as the announcement for Ocean’s upcoming album, ‘Channel Orange.’ Def Jam confirmed the album will hit stores July 17.

Ocean continues to slowly reveal details from his forthcoming album, later debuting the full track previously teased in the clip. The album’s first single, ‘Pyramids,’ clocks in at nearly 10 minutes. Check out the sweeping track here.

Fans have patiently waited for more music from the singer after Def Jam initially announced plans to re-release “nostalgia, ULTRA,” Ocean’s debut mixtape that he issued free after he grew frustrated with the label. The album garnered a cult following and championed Ocean as a reinvigorating force with his ear for avant-R&B hooks, textured narratives and deft sampling.

In a January interview with the BBC, Ocean confirmed he had made up with the label and an album would be coming in the spring.

To support the album, Ocean will embark on a 14-date tour that he announced on his Tumblr page on Friday. The Channel Orange tour will kick off July 13 in Seattle and wrap up Aug. 1 in Detroit. He will celebrate the album’s release with a show at the Wiltern on July 17. Tickets are on sale now through LiveNation. They are $34 including surcharges.

Check out the trailer below:

[For the record, 4:05 p.m., June 8: details about Frank Ocean’s new single were added to this post.]

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— Gerrick D. Kennedy
twttier.com/gerrickkennedy