On Essex Honey , Blood Orange uniquely personifies his instruments, orchestrating a dialogue between acoustic and electronic textures, while acting as the liaison between traditional and modern sounds. The oddly satisfying song structure draws the listener into each track, keeping the ear engaged throughout the experience.

“Thinking Clean” maintains to be our favorite example of Dev Hynes’ arrangement skills. Floating between a grand piano and the digital hi-hat bouncing between the stereo image is proof of his master blending. Essex Honey doesn't rush to make it's point, it rather implores the listener to relish in the moment. "Thinking Clean" in particular makes me feel like a frustrated child who wants the respect of an adult— unaware that I would have to trade in my youthful innocence to gain it. The song develops slowly, halting in some moments, but blooms at its own pace while introducing playful melodies, somber strings, and echoing background vocals before fully bringing the track to life.

Hynes easily weaves from one track into the next while still maintaining its child-like unpredictability. As the album moves from “Something in Between” into “The Field”, Dev not only connects but weaves the dots together creating a comfortable landing for Caroline Polacheck to rest inbetween. Blood Orange continues to blur the lines between technology, genre, and tradition by crafting a fluid dialogue between modern and classic sounds in Essex Honey .