BROCKHAMPTON- iridescence CD Review

Artist: BROCKHAMPTON

Genre: #Hiphop

Sub-Genres: #PopRap, #alternativehiphop

Label: RCA Records

Non-Airable Tracks: ALL

Description:

This past year, Brockhampton has become a household name in the rap industry. After a drama-filled summer and cutting ties with rapper Ameer Van, the group has released their fourth studio album titled iridescence. Here are some of my thoughts on this 15-track album.

It’s only been a year, but in that year, you can tell how far this group has come since Saturation I. iridescence feels like a culmination of the Saturation Trilogy – taking all the best elements from the past three albums and improving on them significantly. One reason I enjoy listening to Brockhampton is that they truly know how to utilize their six vocalists.  You have tracks like ‘NEW ORLEANS’ and ‘HONEY’ where the group raps over heavy beats quickly and efficiently – and then you have the slower tracks like ‘WEIGHT’ and ‘TONYA’ which are much more emotionally driven and focused on good vocals.  Each vocalist comes with their own rap and or singing persona which keeps each song unique.

Speaking of vocalists- the biggest shock on this album is Joba. Ever since Ameer left the group, Brockhampton fans have been wondering who would fill that empty rap void. Now I’m by no means saying that Joba is an incredible rapper, but he does have a unique sound which livens up every track he sings on. This is highlighted in the song ‘J’OUVERT’ where he violently projects his verses to the listeners. Giving Joba more rap verses was a risky move by the group, but it seems as if a majority of fans really enjoyed hearing him break out of his comfort zone.

iridescence is a very experimental album, and this is shown in some of its filler tracks. Romil Hemnani is a fantastic producer and is the driving force in the group’s success, but some tracks sound a bit too noisy. The track ‘DISTRICT’ is a perfect example of this. The beat is all over the place and sounds very clunky overall. I get what the group is shooting for on tracks like these, but sound editing is so important and can make or break a song. I know experimental rap is the new fad, but throwing a bunch of noises together is not the key to making a good sounding song.

Brockhampton has shown us time and time again just how wonderfully diverse and talented they are. iridescence is a refreshing album that deserves all the praise it has received thus far. While it’s experimental nature does put a hamper on some dull tracks, it is still a great listen from start to finish. If I had to rate this album, I would give it an 8.5.

Sounds Like: JPEGMAFIA, Injury Reserve 

Recommended Tracks: 

#6 ‘WEIGHT’ – Beautiful instrumentation and fantastic lyricism by every vocalist on the track

#11 ‘HONEY’- Oh man, Romil produced a fire beat with this one. Too hot.

#14 ‘TONYA’- Similar to ‘WEIGHT’ – really shows off all the vocalists raw singing talent.

Reviewer’s Name: Mike Chase

Date of Review: 10/9/2018

#hiphop