Andre 3000 – New Blue Sun Review

A progressive bit of experimental flute work from the man who brought Hey Ya to school discos across the country? Count everyone right in. New Blue Sun is not the nostalgia tour it could have been had OutKast kicked up a storm once more, thankfully not. André 3000 sets off and out on his own to conjure up some magic bits and pieces. Armed with a flute and figuring out where he fits in with work of this variety, the experimentation is on display throughout this ninety-minute revolution. Eight tracks and some fascinating titles make for a late addition to the finer albums of 2023, an unexpected shift for André 3000 who last released a solo record in 2007. Still, the times are changing. More and more, artists are taking considerable risks to their image and style, to produce pieces like this. 

Part of New Blue Sun will be buoyed by the abstract novelty of one-half of OutKast tooting away on a flute. But desirably chilled-out efforts on opener I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a “Rap” Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time present those meditative moments. It is the expectation of New Blue Sun – to have within it tranquil and interesting portrayals from André 3000. In that regard, it succeeds. His flute work is exceptional and truly enjoyable. But cast aside the unexpected, the surprise at hearing the man behind So Fresh, So Clean pick up a woodwind instrument, and enjoy. There is plenty within New Blue Sun to take note of, the rattles of the opening track which are interspersed throughout and the shift to The Slang Word is a delight. These are as relaxing as can be expected for the slow-moving selection here.  

Tranquil experimentation comes through and while it never pushes for a higher level, New Blue Sun is enjoyable if a tad tacky when it comes to the thought process behind its album titles. A mere sliver of an issue and one which has no impact on the quality within, but imagine lyrics put to those lines of thought. No words are forthcoming from André 3000, who instead relays periods of meditative delights. Nothing beyond the pale or incredible but certainly a nice little bit of background noise which has André run through some flourishing and at the very least, interesting pieces. BuyPoloDisorder has a bit of a tighter structure to it, heightened moments of drama which linger on works used in opera pits for when movies had no sound. It is hard to place New Blue Sun. There is no point anyway, it is just a bit of fun, after all. 

An idea on paper which works as well as it sounds in practice. Few highlights but a consistency rings true to New Blue Sun, nicely detailed flute work which should hopefully open up doors for both listeners and André. These passion projects – where artists can catch wind of a new flow out of their sphere of usual work – are vital. They are so crucial to how a performer can develop new ideas for the more popular avenues of their expression, and New Blue Sun feels as close to that as you can get. Ants To You, Gods To Who? has a nice ring to it and through all of this, the spiritually charged Gahndi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Saviour J.C., is a calming display of real talent. New Blue Sun is that – a talented piece which stokes the fire of beautiful melodies and the importance of instrumental clarity.