On Nov. 10, Lakeshore Records is releasing Passing—Music From and Inspired by the Original Motion Picture. The movie is about two Black women who could pass as white, but they live on opposite sides of the color line during the 1920s Harlem Renaissance. These women, Irene and Clare, begin to introduce each other to their opposing social circles and their lives in general. Devonté Hynes (aka Blood Orange) provided the soundtrack for the film and aptly captured the sound of the era. 

“As their lives become more deeply intertwined,” a press release says of the movie, “Irene finds her once-steady existence upended by Clare, and PASSING becomes a riveting examination of obsession, repression and the lies people tell themselves and others to protect their carefully constructed realities.” 

Earlier this year, Hynes was one of the acts set to perform at the multiple NYPopsUp events, as were major names such as Patti Smith, Amy Schumer and Rhiannon Giddens. Hynes has historically explored race, sexuality and identity through his music, in critically-acclaimed albums such as Freetown Sound and Negro Swan. The artist has been nominated for two 2021 Grammy awards for Fields, a classical collaboration with Third Coast Collaboration. Prior to working on Passing, the artist worked on other critically-acclaimed films such as When They See Us and Moonlight. 

Passing Track List
01. Passing
02. Irene and Clare
03. The Drayton
04. Springtime
05. Clare’s Letter
06. Home Visit
07. Laying In The Sun
08. Autumn
09. The Children
10. Irene’s Headache
11. Goodbye

Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna