iridescense by BROCKHAMPTON
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By Simon Mildenhall
iridescense is BROCKHAMPTON’s fourth studio album and it is a BANGER. Being the first album following serious sexual misconduct allegations, the American boyband has received raving reviews from critics. Many tracks on this album explore new ideas and these new sounds are exactly what you want from a new BROCKHAMPTON album.
Following their set at Listen Out, everytime it comes through my stereo it always gives me good vibes. The sound is not only explosive and loud but inspiring too, making it an album that will definitely make it into my triple j top 100 list.
NEW ORLEANS
This track is the explosive start to the album that BROCKHAMPTON deserve! The subtle bassline sounds so dirty and really makes the whole track. I can really imagine this being one of those tracks where you and your friends have all finished exams and are driving to the beach screaming this song 😂
8/10
THUG LIFE
Straight after the last song, the mood switches into something melodic and peaceful. Elements of NEW ORLEANS are present in this song creating a nice flow. BROCKHAMPTON have really explored different avenues of their creativity throughout this album and this song was executed perfectly 👌🏻
7/10
BERLIN
One of my favourite’s on the whole album, the song just screams ‘VIBES!’. The use of vocal editing and chops is pulled off really well here and I still have trouble identifying who is the voice in the chorus. The first verse reminds of something off a J Cole album mixed with Travis Scott, which would be an epic collab btw.
8/10
SOMETHING ABOUT HIM
I feel this one was used to thin out the album and for the crew to flesh out some of the ideas they had for their next project. I love the use of the marimba in this track, really shows they have used a variety of instrumentals for the project and not just used basic samples off Ableton.
6.5/10
WHERE THE CASH AT
I LOVE the rapping on this track, it just reminds me of SWEET that BROCKHAMPTON released a while back. The sound is so smooth and it really makes you want to just get up and groove 🎶
7/10
WEIGHT
This track is something a bit different and I really like what they have done with it. It kind of takes me back to when Blonde (Frank Ocean) first came out and it had real sentimental, sincere direction. Switching into a faster beat was a nice change halfway through. You go through a variety of feelings and emotions while listening to this track, thats what I love in a song. The slow wordplay was also a real treat to hear 😍
Ps. Props for making this song 4:20 in length
7.5/10
DISTRICT
This song is so distinct and really sticks in my mind when I think of this album. The instrumental and tempo is so perfect, combination of catchy lyrics and an aesthetic bass-line works so well!
8/10
LOOPHOLE
The middle of a 15 track album can sometimes fall short and loose its intensity, but this track is the stitching that sows together the two ends of the album. Think of it as an interlude for you to get a glass of water.
?/10
TAPE
You can really hear some inspiration from Jaden Smith but the idea is totally new! The vocal wordplay on-top of the synth bass-line is so though provoking and it really speaks to me ✌🏻
8/10
J’OUVERT
You would think by now the album would loose speed and start to sound bland, but the fire just keeps on coming 🔥 The variety in vocals that the album explores is the blessing of BROCKHAMPTON that just keeps on giving! This is quite an explosive track that explores some dark themes and might give you an insight into some of the crews lifestyles.
7/10
HONEY
This song is such a jam, you get such positive vibes when you throw this song after you are coming home from work or a long day. I would rate this as my favourite track of the album, the singalong factor is 10/10! You get an immense feeling of euphoria in a certain part of the track and you will know exactly what I mean when you hear it. BROCKHAMPTON have really smashed out the feels on this track and I couldn’t be happier with this album!
9/10
VIVID
After HONEY, the album couldn’t really peak anymore for me. But this track still surprised me with its energy, I remember this as a highlight of the LO performance from the crew and the crowd really made it work for me, along with getting my $50 sunnies I bought the day before thrown off my face and lost into the void 😂
8/10
SAN MARCOS
Such a slow and melodic direction and yet you don’t feel as if the albums feeling is loosing progression or hype. The album is such a rollercoaster with it’s highs and lows and I can definitely say this is one of the best low parts of the album 🙌🏻
6.5/10
TONYA
The Piano at the entrance of this album is so clean and fresh, makes me think of a cold winter morning with a cup of coffee and a good book. I think the crew wanted to bring the energy of the album down a notch towards the end to close out the album, which was a great choice!
8/10
FABRIC
The vocal exploration of the track is really what makes it for me and the involvement of each of the members. I can’t decide if they brought in a choir or have manipulated their voices to create the sound, which adds some mystery to the creation of FABRIC. An excellent finish to an amazing album once again by BROCKHAMPTON.
7/10
Final comments
This album is a real highlight of this year for me, exploring some dark themes while reliably creating some pure hip hop BANGERS! I am really excited to see what BROCKHAMPTON bring us next 👌🏻
Final Rating: 8.5/10