By Henry Nickerson | Co Editor-in-Chief
The world’s best boyband is back. Rap collective Brockhampton has come out with a fourth studio LP, recorded at none other than Abbey Road.
Brockhampton exploded into the hip-hop world last year with a trilogy of albums labelled the Saturation series. The first album of the trilogy, “Saturation”, introduced listeners to the consistently catchy hooks of group leader Kevin Abstract and the experimental production of Roil Hemnani, Jabari Manwa, and Kiko Merley. Most importantly, audiences were captivated by the expansive group’s chemistry and message. Made up of fourteen members with duties ranging from performance to merchandising, Brockhampton has sought to create a new type of boyband that celebrates all aspects of their content and diversity. Every member’s distinctive voice and background has made for albums that could produce swelling ballads alongside textbook bangers. With “Saturation” came striking music videos, a Vice series, and a whole new audience ready for whatever the group had to offer.
The following installments of the Saturation trilogy, “Saturation II” and “Saturation III” doubled down on the explosive and experimental production that made the first album a hit and began to prominently feature members who had seen less mic time on “Saturation” such as Joba and Matt Champion. The industry took notice.
After signing a multi-million dollar deal with RCA and promoting an upcoming project named “Puppy”, news broke about sexual misconduct allegations against founding member Ameer Vann. Having been the face of all three Saturation albums and a primary performer in the group, the members of Brockhampton certainly faced a hard decision when they decided to remove Vann from the band.
After removing Ameer, Brockhampton postponed their world tour in lieu of creating a new album from scratch at the legendary Abbey Road studio. In just ten days, the world was given “Iridescence”, the first installment of another album trilogy.
Bold and untamed, “Iridescence” is a record full of sonic gambles that find Brockhampton utilizing previously overlooked members and highly experimental production (in terms of mainstream hip-hop). Tracks such as “WHERE THE CASH AT” and “DISTRICT” feature glitchy, futuristic production from Romil and Joba, arranged with borderline-manic song structure. While such tracks may be abrasive and harsh on first listen, they find their groove in standout verses from Merlyn Wood and Joba (both of whom carry most of the album with verses that compliment the far-out production).
However, “Iridescence” isn’t all foreign territory; multiple tracks are reminiscent of Brockhampton’s traditional sound such as “BERLIN” and “J’OUVERT”. “J’OUVERT” is a grimy and booming song that features a catchy, laid-back verse from Merlyn Wood and a psychotic verse from Joba. This is the point on the album where it becomes evident that Joba has emerged as the most versatile member of the group.
“WEIGHT” is probably the best track on the album. Brockhampton masterfully utilize their own vocal strengths and beat switch-ups that made “Saturation III” so exciting. Kevin Abstract delivers one of his most personal verses of all time, Joba comes in with a groovy riff, and Dom McLennon delivers a beautifully potent verse about the weight/pressure fame has put on the group.
Among the members with more mic time on “Iridescence” is Bearface. Previously confined to heartbreaking, reverb-drunk ballads at the conclusion of all three Saturation albums, Bearface delivers bubbly hooks and even a few mini-verses on “Iridescence”. While his rapping still leaves much to be desired, it is nice to see Brockhampton utilizing Bearface’s talent more prominently. Matt Champion, however, is no where to be seen on “Iridescence”. Although Matt’s verses kick off multiple tracks on the album, most come off very underwhelming. This is particularly surprising, given Matt’s KILLER verses on “1999 WILDFIRE” and “1997 DIANA” (two singles promoting the album that were not included on the project).
In a number of instances, the chemistry between members just doesn’t seem to be existant. Whether it is the juxtaposing deliveries of Joba and Matt Champion, the awkward beat switches on “HONEY”, or the lack of song structure in “NEW ORLEANS”, it seems Brockhampton has had to completely rediscover their dynamic without Vann.
Some of the most compelling moments in the record appear on the slower, more intimate tracks like “SAN MARCOS” and “TONYA”. “SAN MARCOS” sounds like a Bearface ballad that the others decided to jump in on, and the results are stunning. The track ends with a choir singing, “I want more out of life than this. I want more, I want more,”. This sentiment is certainly felt throughout the album, with many of the song’s themes being overcoming the pressure of fame and finding inner peace. The group also directly adresses the Ameer situation on the only track retained from “PUPPY”, “TONYA”. Featuring vocals from R&B heavyweight Serpeantwithfeet, “TONYA” is a deeply personal ballad that sees every member deliver wonderfully intimate verses (except Matt Champion… of course). Kevin Abstract compares his life to the movie I, Tonya, implying Vann has tainted his legacy,
“My ghost still haunt you, my life is I, Tonya
A big-eyed monster, only face to conquer
I hated songs about fame ’cause that stuff meant nothin’
Until them headlines came, then first flight I’m stuck in.”
“Iridescence” Brockhampton is not the same group as “Saturation” Brockhampton, and that’s okay. Brockhampton is brash, compelling, heartbreaking, and unsure right now. “Iridescence” may not be a perfect album, but dammit if it doesn’t feel like a preface to one.
