Questlove recently shared his thoughts about Andre 3000's forthcoming solo album, New Blue Sun, which features acclaimed jazz musicians playing alongside Andre, who plays "contrabass flute, Mayan flutes, bamboo flutes — along with other digital wind instruments" on the album, per NPR.
Andre, who's known for experimenting with his art and creativity even though he's often wary of sharing it (he's never released a solo project), says he did feel compelled to share this new work. "I have to feel happy about sharing it," he told NPR's Rodney Carmichael. "That's why New Blue Sun was something that I realized, 'Whoa, I really want people to hear it. I really want to share it.' That's my only gauge. I have to like it as a person, as an artist myself, because if I don't like it I can't expect nobody else to like it. I can't pretend in that way. That's always been hard for me."
Questlove, for one, is grateful he decided to share it with the world. Quest says he's in a space where he requires quiet time as a means of survival, and Andre's new project has already aided in creating a soothing, meditative space for him.
"When asked “how do you cram so much work in ONE day?" The answer is I make time for silence and stillness 2 hours every day since pandemic," Quest wrote on IG. "That’s the ONLY way to get through this stage of life and not self soothe on pills or drank or all the other 28 addictions. I knew this 3000 jawn was a left turn but I didn’t know it’s the RIGHT left turn."
He goes on to say the album is soothing in a way most folks don't even realize they need.
"I mean cats might have jokes like “this is what they play in massage parlors” or whatnot but dog——-as a dude who listens to @SteveMillerBand‘s “SPACE” 24/7 Or U2’s “4th Of July” or Prince’s “Colors” on loop to calm down and get outta my head? This 3000 record is easily gonna take up space on my playlist for the next few," he wrote. "All you newbie meditators/microdosers/“time-out-for-me—before-I-hurt-someone” people who are trying to do better——-THIS is good medicine music for you. I mean if you aren’t in that space in which you are thinking about seeing life in 2050 & 2060 (nihilism is real….most of hip hop—-me included thought we’d never see 45 or 50……yeah me included) and you are in that space in which you need Space & Silence... This album will be a welcome introduction."
Andre 3000's album, New Blue Sun, arrives on Nov. 17. Check out Questlove's quasi review of the album below.
