Northern Transmissions revisits some of their favourite albums of 2023

“New Blue Sun” emerges as a transformative journey. André’s decision to craft an unfocused album grants each listener the liberty to imprint their own meaning onto it, unraveling infinite interpretations and variables. The opening track, “I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time,” initiates a vivid imagery of ascending through a tropical ocean, fixated on the streaming sunlight. As additional instruments layer in—wind chimes, shakers, and more—they become the tang fish, clownfish, and other sea creatures accompanying you in this aquatic voyage.

The album, in its entirety, mirrors an ascension—from the ocean’s depths, through the rainforest, soaring into outer space, and finally navigating a cosmic wormhole to encounter an enigmatic cosmic entity. Highlighted by tracks like “The Slang Word P(*)ssy Rolls Off The Tongue With Far Better Ease Than The Proper Word Vagina. Do You Agree?,” “BuyPoloDisorder’s Daughter Wears A 3000® Button Down Embroidered,” and “Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Savior J.C./Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, And John Wayne Gacy,” each song contributes to this celestial ascent. From dancing through jungles to floating through the vastness of space, the album evokes childlike wonder amidst asteroid belts and Jupiter’s moons. The culminating track, “Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Savior J.C./Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, And John Wayne Gacy,” introduces us to a cosmic being with backup vocals creating a holy experience, while the piano adds a layer of complexity reminiscent of religious music.

Upon first listen, the album may seem like a chaotic symphony leading nowhere. Yet, André has masterfully crafted an intriguing sonic tapestry with numerous corners and recesses to explore. The inclusion of instruments from across the globe, some played backward or filtered, underscores the album’s complexity. With each subsequent listen, one ascends through the layers, unveiling new nuances. Each song becomes a unique journey, seamlessly blending into the next, transforming lengthy compositions into sonic marathons.

This album, with its intricate balance of complexity and chaos, offers moments of clarity and peace. It’s haunting and heavenly simultaneously. André’s ability to evoke a myriad of emotions, feelings, and visions establishes him as a true artist. The initial listens demand a receptive mindset—ears “turned off,” absorbing the energy and navigating the sonic visions as they unfold. The album’s potential influence on future rap, with its diverse sounds ripe for sampling, adds an intriguing layer to its artistic significance. In its entirety, André 3000’s latest creation is destined to be a polarizing masterpiece, generating complex feelings and visions—because, after all, great artwork is meant to do just that.

Order New Blue Sun by Andre 3000 HERE