Dev, Disco, and the Deep End: Echoes of True
by Daniel Finn
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Solange and Dev Hynes made magic with this one, and barely anyone noticed.
Maybe it's because she’s Beyoncé’s sister, but if she wasn’t, I think we’d talk about her very differently.
She’s not in the background. She’s in a whole other lane, and people miss that.
In 2012, she released True, a 7-track EP produced and co-written with Dev Hynes of Blood Orange. His mix of soulful grooves and electronic textures gives the record its signature sound. It leans into house and disco with four-on-the-floor kicks, funky basslines, and bright, shimmering synths.
There’s a blend of electronic elements and live drums and guitars that makes the whole thing feel precise but still warm. You can hear traces of Larry Heard’s Can You Feel It, Chic’s Good Times, early '80s Prince, post-disco Teena Marie, and maybe even some Janet in the vocal phrasing.
The use of filtered synths and sidechain compression gives the groove a pulsing, breathing quality. Everything moves with purpose, but nothing feels rushed. That '80s, Prince-like sound Solange and Dev created is so breezy and textured it’s addictive.
The whole record plays like one continuous track. Each song flows into the next, but they all hold their own. It’s a breakup album you can dance to, with bittersweet lyrics layered over upbeat grooves.
You don’t really get True by skipping around. You sit with it. Let it unfold. And then it hits.
Maybe that’s why people don’t talk about it more. But if Solange wasn’t who she is, I think they would.
Here’s A playlist that maps the DNA of True — from classic disco to deep house, post-disco, boogie, and early '80s funk. These are the grooves that echo through the EP’s shimmering synths, four-on-the-floor kicks, and warm basslines.