Expect more music to come after Frank Ocean releases visual album ‘Endless’

After weeks of rumors, new Frank Ocean music has arrived.

Late Thursday night the enigmatic R&B crooner released “Endless,” an 18-track visual album streaming exclusively on Apple Music.

“Endless” adds to the growing trend of upending the traditional album release model that has buoyed recent releases from Kanye West, Beyoncé, Drake and Rihanna.

The 45-minute visual album — it’s an extended version of the video that originally debuted as a livestream event — is reportedly a precursor to “Boys Don’t Cry,” the singer’s much-speculated-about follow-up to his Grammy-winning 2012 debut, “Channel Orange.”

“Boys Don’t Cry” is expected to be released later this weekend on Apple, according to a New York Times report.

A representative for Apple didn’t return request for comment, and reps for Ocean declined to provide additional information about the singer’s plans.

Earlier this month, without warning, Ocean rolled out a mysterious livestream video. But the Internet tease didn’t give away much of anything.

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For instance, viewers didn’t hear any full tracks. Instead, Ocean could be seen working in a mostly empty warehouse, tackling a carpentry project, as instrumental tracks gave way to construction noises.

Fans speculated that the album’s release was imminent, considering the video — which was titled “Endless” — contained the Apple Music logo watermarked in the corner of the video.

Upon the debut of the livestream, it was reported by major news outlets that the album would be issued on Aug. 5 alongside a video through an exclusive deal with Apple Music. A printed publication called “Boys Don’t Cry” was also said to be distributed at Apple stores.

The reported release date came and went — as did Ocean, until Thursday.

After being dormant, the livestream returned to life. Ocean reappeared, continuing work on the structure he began building weeks ago.

This time, however, there was music — a full album, in fact.

Shot by Francisco Soriano and directed by the singer, the black-and-white art film depicts Ocean (actually multiple versions of himself) working to build a spiral staircase in the middle of a room. Ocean is also credited as executive producer and creative director of the film.

“Endless” begins with a flickering electronic number, “Device Control,” pulled from German visual artist Wolfgang Tillmans.

Tillmans, whose voice opens and closes the album, revealed on his Instagram account that the track will appear on his own EP, also titled “Device Control,” and that he shared the track with Ocean just three weeks ago.

“Endless,” the visual, unfolds as three Oceans work to complete the project. At one point in the film two are cutting wood while the third aimlessly looks at his cellphone.

As for the music, it’s an experimental trip inside Ocean’s mind.

Contemplative and free-flowing, some tracks feel like avant-garde demos while others feel like fully fleshed out records. There are ambient interludes and jam sessions that don’t even last a minute.

Fans recognized his cover of the Isley Brothers’ “At Your Best (You Are Love)” that appears early on the album. It was released early last year to tease the album and was then titled “You Are Luhh.”

Ocean raps on “U-N-I-T-Y,” while R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan brings warmth to a number of tracks, including “Hublots,” where she takes the lead. There are flashes of acoustic-driven soul, techno, trap and icy electronics. A number of the songs on the album were first heard in instrumental form on the livestream.

Other tracks on the album include “Alabama,” “Commes Des Garcons,” “Wither,” “In Here Somewhere,” “Sideways,” “Mine,” “Hublots,” “Slide on Me,” “Florida,” “Deathwish (ASR),” “Rushes,” “Rushes to” and “Higgs.”

For the album, the singer collaborated with Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, Arca, Alex G, Troy Noka and Sampha. Ocean played piano and guitar on a number of tracks, and violins, double basses, violas and cellos from London Contemporary Orchestra accompanied others.

Before it was released on Thursday, the wait for “Endless” had seemingly felt as such.

In April 2015, Ocean announced that he’d completed the album, to be called “Boys Don’t Cry,” and his reps confirmed that the album and an accompanying publication would arrive in July 2015.

A year later, the singer updated his website with an image of a library due-date card stamped with a number of dates — including July 2016. Ocean’s unconventional release — there’s still no way to purchase the album or listen to it outside of streaming the visual — adds to a year of artists eschewing traditional releases in favor of turning their album release into a major event.

Beyoncé first debuted her latest visual album, “Lemonade,” through an HBO special before releasing it exclusively to Tidal.

Rihanna gave away 1 million copies of “Anti” via a deal with Samsung and Tidal, while Drake premiered “Views” via a “global listening party” on Apple Music Beats 1.

And West, in typical fashion for the polarizing rapper, rolled out his latest album, “The Life of Pablo,” with a chaotic listening party/fashion show for a sold-out Madison Square Garden that also served as the debut for his Yeezy Season 3 clothing line. He sold tickets to the event and 20 million people tuned into the livestream before he released the album for free on Tidal.

He later lifted that exclusivity and has since been tinkering with “Pablo” in real time.

For more music news follow me on Twitter:@GerrickKennedy

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UPDATES:

1:45 p.m. Aug. 19: This article has been updated with new details throughout. It was originally published at 10:55 p.m. Aug. 18.