For the first time in nearly two decades, André 3000 is releasing an album of new music. New Blue Sun, set to be released this Friday, Nov. 17, is a stunning 87-minute mind-bender, minimalist and experimental, tribal and transcendent.
One thing it is not, however, is a rap record: No bars, no beats, no sub-bass. André doesn't sing on this joint, either. What he does do is play flute, and plenty of it — contrabass flute, maya flutes, bamboo flutes — along with other digital wind instruments. In place of lyrics, he offers eight provocative song titles, the first of which almost reads like a lowkey apology, with a wink of irony: "I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A 'Rap' Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time."
In this sweeping, hour-long interview, the former member of OutKast speaks with NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael about the long road to making New Blue Sun, which traveled through phases of grief and inspiration. A departure album in the classic sense, New Blue Sun also feels like André has arrived.
You can read the full interview with André 3000 here.
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