Strange things were afoot on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! stage last night as Dev Hynes and Blood Orange made their late-night debut, and if people didn't know about the artistic method of this collective, they certainly have a firm clue now. Whether he was being flanked by leotard clad dames or conjuring the ghost of Michael Jackson past for some smooth dance moves, Hynes definitely made an interesting first impression as he introduced a pretty bewildered audience to the lo-fi soul sound that he and his crew successfully rendered on last year's Cupid Deluxe. Hynes also brought a few buddies along as his girlfriend and Friends member Samantha Urbani and burlesque artist Dita Von Teese also come into the abstract fold.
Just like the song's themselves, the performances of "It Is What It Is" and "Time Will Tell" dip heavily into '80s and '90s imagery with the most interesting neon lit backdrops, unified backup dancers and choreographed miming efforts this side of Kate Bush, and Hynes hits every nostalgic nail, even going for the impromptu hair metal-esque guitar solo while Miss Von Teese holds the sheet music. It's all delightfully weird yet quite engaging once you let your mind expand a little wider and allow Hynes and his crew to entertain you.
