Pyramids: Frank Ocean’s Magnum Opus

Frank Ocean, a prolific artist with ties to hip hop, R&B, soul, pop, and a myriad of other sounds. Living in the zeitgeist, it’s almost impossible for you to not have heard anything from the genre-bending singer.

Following his first ever project, the self-published “Nostalgia, ULTRA,” Ocean paired with Def Jam records to produce his first official studio album. In the summer of 2012, “Channel Orange” was born. 

With standout hits like “Forrest Gump,” “Crack Rock,” and of course “Thinkin bout you,” Ocean thrust himself into the hearts, minds, and, most importantly, the ears of millions of listeners. Plus with a Grammy under its belt, Channel Orange was deemed a success.

One song that can sometimes be overlooked by fair-weather fans of Ocean is the nearly 10 minute epic that occupies the 10th slot on this breakout album–“Pyramids.”

Consisting of some of the most sonically pleasing vocals, transcendent production, and overt yet subtle thematic elements that Ocean is known for, “Pyramids” critically takes the cake for the best song on the album.

Often compared to “Nights,” a song off of Ocean’s most recent project “Blond” for the coveted award of best beat-switch in a song, “Pyramids” simply has to take the cake. Which perhaps being an easier listen, “Nights” simply doesn’t have the same substance behind it, whether that be it’s production with layers upon layers finding themselves on “Pyramids,” or the best Frank has sounded vocally in his career, there’s simply no comparison.

There isn’t a single other song in Frank Ocean’s discography that lends itself in such a poppy, yet elegant fashion to create something that is purely harmonious. Following a story of lust, love, loss, and ultimately pain–all surrounding the illusive Cleopatra. 

Frank’s turmoil is heard so forcefully in the first half of the song, but in the second we see a new narrator’s perspective. No longer the victim of his love story, instead a modern day perpetrator and beneficiary of the same pain he felt before.

The storytelling in this song is unmatched by any other song in his discography, and with 10 minutes to experience only a few words, everything seems to have critical calculation.

Ultimately, “Pyramids” brings the listener on a journey, both sonically and narratively. Not a moment is wasted, and with the cathartic release at the end of the song, it’s impossible not to feel something by the end of it.

If you haven’t already, listen to “Pyramids” by Frank Ocean.