BROCKHAMPTON is a Texas-based hip-hop group consisting of A LOT of members that saw some big success throughout 2017 with the release of this critically-acclaimed trio of albums. While they weren’t necessarily noticed too much in the mainstream, they seemed to be much-loved by several music critics and fans. I’ve had some curiosity about this group for some time now, and I think that it’s high time I give them a look. So, let’s do it!
HEAT: A track with some very abrasive and loud production, this is a very scary-sounding, incredibly aggressive cut overall. I don’t really love the hook on this one, but I do commend the song for having a number of very energetic performances. Special shoutouts to the charisma from Merlyn Wood, and the clever lyricism in Matt Champion’s closing verse (don’t get it twisted, though, Ameer Vaan and Dom McLennon have some very emphatic vocal performances as well). It’s honestly not really my kind of track, I think the song is just a little too abrasive for my liking (my heart started pounding as Joba started screaming “FUCK YOU” on this one), but I certainly see why the group is so popular, and I’m definitely fascinated by the fact that they keep this track tight and focused even though they’re such a large group.
GOLD: A far less abrasive track, this song has some really interesting, electro-funk production and a very ear-wormy hook from Kevin Abstract. Matt Champion’s lyrics on the verse are also extremely clever, and he proves to have great flow on this one. I also like the interplay between Ameer and Merlyn on their verse, and Dom’s verse is filled with some really hilarious lyrics (it’s also nice to hear that Joba isn’t yelling at me on this cut). I also really dig the percussion on this track. It’s easily head-noddy and so interesting. Really cool, funky track with an amazing vibe to it.
STAR: Another electronic track filled to the brim with references to film characters and actors (hence the title “STAR,” the group wants to be famous). The production on this one is really cool and somewhat mysterious-sounding, and the track really shines with the charismatic performances of Dom, Ameer, and Kevin. I also found myself chuckling frequently throughout the track because of the many really clever references to famous celebrities. The group shows no fear in name-dropping everyone under the sun on this one, and I’m also impressed that, even though the track ends abruptly, they still manage to make it feel like a full-length song. Really like this track!
BOYS: Here, the boys send a message that, while they may not look like it and while their music might not indicate it, Brockhampton IS INDEED a boy band (Ameer specifically name-drops Zayn Malik and Harry Styles and even refers to the group as “the southside One Direction”). They’re not a traditional boy band, but believe it that they are. While Kevin’s hook on this one can get a little repetitive, I do think he keeps it pretty interesting with some varied, interestingly-filtered vocals. I’m not as crazy about Ameer or Matt’s flows on their verses, but they do come through with a few neat lyrics here and there. Merlyn’s bridge is, again, somewhat repetitive, but Dom’s verse is the real highlight here, with interesting rapid-fire flow and a very confident performance. Overall, though, while there are some cool vocal performances here, I do think the track is, again, just a bit too repetitive. Not a bad song, just nothing I’ll really want to come back after this review.
2PAC: A very short, 1-minute long song, this is a piano-driven track with some higher-pitched vocals from Ameer that kind of indicate he is reminiscing on his childhood. His lyrics also indicate that, as he talks about living a life of crime and missing the days of just being a kid, eating his dinosaur chicken nuggets (which are still damn good, don’t try to tell me otherwise), and receiving the love and trust of his mama. I like his performance on this one, as his youthful voice blends well with the emotional vibe the piano melody creates, and Kevin’s vocals on the hook have some very cool filters to them. You know, even as a 1-minute long track, I really dig this one, it’s got a great vibe to it, and I can see myself coming back to it a lot in the future!
SKIT 1: The first of three short skits on the album, Jabari Manwa asks Robert Ontenient in English what happened to his house, and Robert responds in Spanish that he has burned down his house and that there is no going back for him. It serves its purpose as a short interlude, and it’s definitely better than most skits I hear on albums, but of course, it’s not like I’ll add this to my playlist and listen to it again in the future. It’s good for what it’s supposed to be, and it’s a nice touch to the album.
FAKE: A more laid back song, this one sees the boys talking about the idea of the music industry being fake, doing so through very distorted vocals that further add to the theme of famous musicians “putting on a face” or “only saying what you want to hear.” I really dig the bassline on this track, and the bright feel of it is really fascinating. I wasn’t initially crazy about Kevin’s hook, but it really grew on me throughout the song, and the filtered vocals really work, as they not only add to the theme, but they don’t detract from the strong flow and fun performances provided by Kevin, Ameer, Merlyn, and Dom, the latter of whom has vocals that sound like a direct shot at the overly-autotuned crooners that rule the industry today, i.e. Future. It’s a very relaxed, atmospheric song and I definitely dig it.
BANK: A somewhat more fast-paced track with something of a tropical twist, this one sees the boys talk about the changes in their lives that came from moving to California. I love the vibe of this cut, it’s very bright but also atmospheric, and Kevin’s hook has some really great filtered vocals. Dom shows versatility on the song with many great vocal performances, and while Ameer only has a very short appearance, he still comes through with some great flow on his very personal verse. So far, I can definitely see why a lot of people dig these guys because they are putting together some legitimately catchy and different hip-hop that shouldn’t be possible for a group of their size.
SKIT 2: Jabari and Robert return on this one, as Jabari asks Robert who he is (again, in English) and Robert responds (again, in Spanish) that no one will remember him after he kills himself in the night. It’s a really sad skit and, again, while I’m not gonna throw it on my playlist and listen to it over and over again, I do think it’s good for what it is, and it gives us an interesting look into Robert and his struggles with suicidal thoughts.
TRIP: Once again, focusing on one of the major themes of the album, the boys focus this song on the idea of self-accepting and being whoever they want to be. Dom also takes a minute to talk about his battles with depression, and how BROCKHAMPTON allowed him to find himself. So look, if you get nothing else out of this group or this series of albums, at least realize that they're really coming through with some pretty empowering lyrical themes, and respect should be given in that regard. And, in the case of this song, it so happens it’s very enjoyable. Kevin’s smooth vocals and fun flow make the hook on this track one of the best on the record, and the piano melody gives this one a really cool, moody vibe. Ameer and Dom also come through with some really cool filtered vocals on their verses, and their lyrical strengths are on full display. Joba’s filtered vocals are pretty great as well. Easily one of my favorites on the album.
SWIM: Another laid-back track, but one with a slightly different feel than several of the others on here (I’m honestly getting some kind of country/soft-rock vibes from the intro), this song talks about the boys’ love lives, and I think it’s got some really great things going on. Great guitar melodies, I love Ameer and Dom’s fun autotune-assisted vocals on their verses, and even if Kevin’s hook is a little repetitive, he keeps it interesting with solid filtered vocals. Great track with a really nice relaxed vibe, I love this one!
BUMP: Here, we move back to the more aggressive style that the boys showed on the opening track, and while I wasn’t totally digging it on that song, I think I’m just a little more used to it here. Just a little. Either way, I like Kevin’s hook, as he continues the self-acceptance theme on here by saying “and when this ends, at least I’ll have a reason to live,” and while I’m still not all that in love with the ear-piercing production as it’s just a bit too hard on my ears, I can at least commend that Matt, Merlyn, Ameer, and Dom provide some very wholehearted performances on this one. It is a bit shouty, and I’m sure others will get more enjoyment out of it than I will, but it’s still a decent track and I can certainly see the appeal of it, even if I won’t be coming back to it all that much.
CASH: A very subtly political track, the boys talk on this song about themes like racism, homophobia, classism, violence, and drug use on a series of short but still hard-hitting verses, while Kevin delivers a hook that simply talks about getting money. The track starts with some really interesting strings, and even though it’s far more downbeat than some of the previous songs, the lyricism alone makes this track worth listening to over and over again. Obviously, the vocal performances are front and center here, much like the rest of the album, and those vocals hook you in because they’re so energetic, but the real highlight of the song is the lyrical content. That alone makes the song worth coming back to.
SKIT 3: The final skit on this thing, we again see Jabari speaking in English to Robert, who speaks in Spanish, as the two of them talk about identity, one of the bigger, recurring themes of the album. Here, Jabari asks Robert about why he feels he doesn’t fit in, and Robert basically responds that sometimes it’s very hard to just “be yourself” and be comfortable in your own skin. He gives a really strong message about it, but then Jabari simply responds with “nice pants,” as something of a commentary on how you can tell a long story of self-discovery to someone, only to have them just brush it off in the end. It again serves its purpose and does what it is supposed to as a skit, and I find it to be the strongest one on the album. Again, it would feel wrong to say it’s one of my “favorite tracks” here, but I definitely think it’s the best of the skits.
MILK: This self-acceptance anthem has a much more minimal instrumental, as the performances of the boys are brought to the forefront here. I love Kevin’s vocals on the hook, and I think said hook is very ear-wormy and memorable, and I like how the song feels like something of a character study into these boys that we’ve been learning so much about during this album. It feels like Ameer, Merlyn, Kevin, and Dom (with Matt singing on the bridge) just had a sit-down and said “hi, this is who we are, and we love who we are.” It’s a very relaxed and atmospheric track that works on good performances and great lyricism. This album is definitely ending off quite nicely.
FACE: Another track about lost love and the pain that comes with it, Joba surprisingly handles the hook here after being largely delegated to a smaller vocal role, and he provides some pretty solid, higher-pitched vocals as the group performs over a much slower, somewhat swingy beat. I particularly love Dom and Matt’s flow on their verses, and once again, the track has a very atmospheric vibe to it. Ameer’s verse has some clever lyrics, and Joba gets a verse as well. He makes the most of his extended appearance, as his higher-pitched vocals are very charming on this one. Another good track!
WASTE: Ending off the album, this is the only song on the record to not have a 4-letter title. Intentional tease towards “SATURATION II,” which will have all 5-letter titles for tracks. Anyway, outside of some occasional vocals from R. Gomez, the song is handled entirely by bearface. This is the first time he provides any vocals on the album, and let me say, I find his performance to be really great, as his very sad-sounding vocals mesh nicely with the cool soft-rock vibes and really sweet guitar riffs, giving the track a really moody vibe that I really like. I really hope we see more bearface on “SATURATION II” because he’s a really interesting performer, and I think this song serves as a short, but very satisfying, conclusion to this first chapter of the “SATURATION” trilogy.
Wow, I don’t know how they did it. A group of this size? Making music this great? You’d think there’d be a complete lack of focus going on in there somewhere! Nope. BROCKHAMPTON knows exactly where to put everyone, and they surprisingly come through with some very catchy hip-hop music with some really interesting production and energetic vocal performances. This isn’t your traditional boyband; in fact, you should probably take everything you know about boybands and toss it out the window before going into this one. Regardless, BROCKHAMPTION proves right from the jump on the first volume of “SATURATION” that they are a group to watch for, with strong lyrical chops and an album with a great message of self-acceptance, vocal performances that are filtered and autotuned but still very fascinating, and some versatile production that, even at its most abrasive, can still have a lot of appeal. I’m very impressed with this, and I can’t wait to dig into the group’s next few records.
Obviously, “SATURATION II” is up next. Let’s see if the good times keep on rolling in the next record.
Favorite tracks: GOLD, STAR, 2PAC, FAKE, BANK, TRIP, CASH, MILK, FACE, WASTE
Least favorite tracks: BOYS (if I had to pick one)
Rating: Excellent
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