Frank Ocean Already Working on Next Album With Alan Moulder, Pharrell Williams, Danger Mouse and (Hopefully) King Krule

Frank Ocean holds one of his two GRAMMYs
Frank Ocean holds one of his two GRAMMYs
Photo via Frankocean.com

Frank Ocean has revealed a few details about the followup to his breakthrough album Channel Orange. According to an interview with BBC Radio 1 host Zane Lowe on Tuesday, the singer is 10 or 11 tracks into crafting “another cohesive thing, bordering on a concept record..At the end of Channel Orange, there’s ‘Golden Girl,’ and it’s this beach scene. And I kind of want it to extend that feel into the next record altogether, kind of make it that theme.”

To capture that vibe, Ocean plans on visiting the island of Bora Bora for a few weeks and turning a beachside space into a mobile studio. In the months since the summer release of Channel Orange, the Odd Future member has worked with Pharrell Williams and booked some time with Danger Mouse. He also told Lowe how he’d love to collaborate with this “really sick kid” King Krule and Tame Impala, who Tyler, the Creator turned him onto.

Ah, but that’s not all; Entertainment Weekly let another detail slip out yesterday–Ocean’s name apparently came up during a conversation with Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan this week…

“We were in the studio in New York,” explained Gahan, “and we were filming and recording some live tracks toward the end of the session. I was singing, Martin [Gore] on guitar, a few of the other guys. Suddenly in the doorway, I sensed this presence, and I realized there was this guy standing there just watching. An assistant came up to me in between songs and said, ‘Do you mind? Frank Ocean is here working in another studio and really wants to meet you guys.’ I wouldn’t have thought he would have even known who we are, but it turns out he’s a big fan.”

The chance meeting turned into an impromptu session with Moulder and Christoffer Berg, a Depeche Mode collaborator and producer for the Knife. “I think [it’s] going to be part of his new record,” said Gahan. “Martin did some electronics and some modular synthesizer stuff he really wanted.”

Well alright then. For more from Ocean’s BBC interview, check out a full stream below: