But the sonics are only a small component of Dev Haynes artistic expression. He may claim to have synesthesia, but (inline with a theme of my blog) who doesn't?
Dev Haynes, possibly subconsciously, is a master of the 3rd item on the complete list of artistic styles: Resurrection. The complete resurrection of 80s pop that this guy delivers as a package is formidable against the real articles; like George Michael's WHAM!, Prince, Lionel Richie, Paula Abdul, Ricky Springfield, Hall & Oates, and New Order.
And Resurrection and the sensation it delivers is so familiar that Dev Haynes might not be so unique - he might be a shiny star amongst us in the night sky - we might all be using Resurrection in the construction of our identities, both internally and externally. Identity Modification, as a wave, began with Pop culture - it is competitive, it was a yardstick. Fun. An opportunity to share opinions and colloquial expressions. We might all be performing acts of artistic resurrection as the path of least resistance?
Dev Hayne's Resurrection Archetype is the modal representative of the Identity Modification Era. Given no resistance - poverty, institutionalisation, procreation, the bulk of humanity would move simply to Expression, as a way of life. Art, as a way of life. The creation of objects that only served themselves, my Art, would be the domain of those who cared not OF this paradigm but OF to change it. This would be the scope of society in a transcending world.
I am refuting the possibility that Dev Hayne's Blood Orange was merely a project - the embodiment is whole and perfect. Heath Ledger became the joker - this guy's buying timeshare at the Club Tropicana.