Blood Orange Chamakay

Blood Orange, the electronic side project of Lightspeed Champions' Dev Hynes, recently leaked a track from his upcoming album Cupid Deluxe, due out November 19. It features Caroline Polachek of Chairlift, who lends some sultry harmonies to the cut.

"Chamakay" rubs me in all the right ways. Hynes' sumptuous vocals radiate loss and yearning. And the production, while sonically stripped-down, manages to be deep and voluminous.

WhereasBlood Orange's 2011 LP Costal Grooves  championed an 80s revival feel, "Chamakay" seems to abandon that in favor of a much more R&B influenced ambience. Steeped in sultry, downtempo, tropical beats, the track opts for lush vocal arrangements, and electronic-based rhythms and melodies that, at moments, are so smooth it hurts. (The sax during the wind-down of the song almost pushes it over the top).

If "Chamakay" is any indicator, Cupid Deluxe seems to proffer the same sexy material we've come to expect from Hynes, just in a silkier, more soulful package. And that's a prospect I can live with.