GUMMY: Right from the start, the boys try in some ways to sound like M.I.A. (specifically on the hook), and I do like the darker feel of this one. It’s very mysterious-sounding, and I’m glad it doesn’t feel as abrasive as the opener of the last album. The vocals here are a lot smoother and easier to get into, and I really dig how Kevin, Ameer, Dom, and Merlyn provide some very energetic and charismatic performances on this one. It’s got something of an old-school vibe, but with the same neat, weird production that made the previous album successful. Good start to this project!
QUEER: I know, you may be looking at that title and you’re thinking the song is about Kevin’s sexuality, right? Well, not necessarily. Instead, the song traces back to the original definition of the term “queer,” that being “odd or strange” and instead, the boys talk about why they all feel like they are strange: Matt’s famous and he has girls chasing after him, but he still battles with depression; Merlyn seems to hate famous designer-brand clothing from Dolce & Gabbana; Dom is a very intelligent and good-looking rapper, which he feels threatens the ideology that rappers are just dumb thugs that do drugs, and Ameer also talks about how money and fame have changed him. Once again, this song is very upbeat and energetic, and I love the hook as well! I also love that, even as upbeat as it is, it isn’t as hard on the ears as some of the tracks on the last record. Definitely a really great song!
JELLO: A song that talks a bit about the way BROCKHAMPTON has changed with fame, the group really keeps the vibrant feel going on this one. I really like each boy’s flows: the rapid-fire style and really hilarious lyricism make this song really enjoyable. I also dig the bouncy yet dark production here, and I think the boys keep this one exciting with their really interesting, filtered vocals meshing well with said typically weird production. And as I’ve said earlier, I’m glad that, with the boys going for a more upbeat feeling on these first few tracks, I respect that they are creating some less abrasive cuts. Some of the more upbeat songs on the last record were just personally a bit hard on my ears, I’m glad they’re not trying to break any eardrums so far. And beyond that, they’re making some very catchy, energetic songs to start this record off!
TEETH: Ameer raps on this very short interlude about his own experiences with racism growing up, and this cut features some very minimal production, with only a light piano melody and some choir vocals. Still, it’s a track that I absolutely adore: Ameer’s vocal performance is very confident and exciting, and as short as the track is, I really feel like it leaves a lasting impression: it really builds Ameer’s character and it’s honestly a rather scary-sounding track. It’s one of those songs that honestly has a presence to it where I have to stop everything and pay full attention to it. Really fantastic interlude!
SWAMP: Another song about the group’s come-up, this one keeps things very vibrant and loud, but somewhat downtempo compared to the earlier songs, as Kevin and Matt handle the hook on this track, a hook that I find pretty ear-wormy. Each boy also brings something different on their verses that I love: I like Ameer’s very youthful-sounding vocals, I love Merlyn’s lyrics, and I find Dom’s flow to be really great. JOBA also jumps in for a verse, and I find his performance to be the highlight of the song: it’s melodic but it’s also got really great flow! There’s also some great electronic production here, and I find it to be one of the bests on the album by far.
SCENE: Much like the previous album, this one does feature a few spoken-word tracks. They now call them “SCENE” instead of “SKIT” because, ya know, “SATURATION” had track names that were each 4 letters, “SATURATION II” is gonna have 5-letter names as tracks. Neat idea, honestly. Anyway, this time there are only two, not sure if that’s intentional or not but either way, this one features Robert talking about his youth and a time when he was in love. And I gotta say, I obviously won’t add these skits to my “favorite tracks” because I won’t listen to them over and over, but they just get better and better. Not only does this one tells a rather sad story, but there’s some damn sinister production here, too. It’s a very creepy-sounding track, and I’m glad to see that the group is approaching their skits with as much attention as they’re approaching the big songs.
TOKYO: Here, we see the boys delve into ideas of insecurity and regret, as they dig deep into their past while also fearing for their future, JOBA starts off this one and I love his vocals here, they kind of remind me of some old-school Justin Timberlake, honestly. I wasn’t really in love with the hook at first, but it really grew on me, I like the effects on Kevin’s vocals. Ameer and Dom have some good verses, even if Ameer’s flow isn’t as interesting to me, and the production is appropriately weird, as it reminds me a bit of video game music. There’s a lot of good things going on in this track, I can see myself coming back to it in the future.
JESUS: Another shorter track, this one sees Kevin rap over a sad-sounding piano melody, and it also sees the return of bearface. The piano melody is quite beautiful, though, and I like Kevin’s lyrics on his verse, as he name-drops several celebrities on this (I particularly laughed at the lyric where he mentions falling in love with a stripper, but then talking about how he really didn’t and how that’s a Drake thing). And, once again, I LOVE bearface’s vocals, they’re just so beautiful and, as soon as he starts singing, it feels like he just grabs your attention and leaves you wanting more. I really hope we get more of him, he’s really great. Again, I love that there is even replay value to the short interludes on this record.
CHICK: Keeping in with one of the bigger themes of the “SATURATION” trilogy as the whole, this cut sees the boys discussing the idea of being self-conscious (largely in regards to your looks). After “JESUS” was a light piano track, this one goes right back to the more upbeat, aggressive sound of some of the earlier cuts. It’s got some very strange and intriguing production, but I don’t really find this one as exciting as some of the others on this record. I love the vocals on the outro, but I don’t really think any one boy’s verse is “highlight-worthy,” they’re all just fine enough. Definitely not a bad track, but I don’t find it as great as some of my favorites on the album.
JUNKY: Something of a “soul-searching” song, where the boys talk about their demons in regards to the social injustices they face (i.e. homophobia, drug abuse, suicidal thoughts, sexism, wasting their educations, and several others), I like the very loud, sinister production on this one, and Kevin’s verse is a real standout: not only does he sound very confident, but he talks about his sexuality and all that comes with it, from the fear of coming out to his mom, to how homophobic the rap community can be. As someone that was afraid to come out to my mom, I feel like a lot of this verse stuck with me. No disrespect to Ameer, Merlyn, Matt, or Dom’s verses, though, because they all come out here with some very emotional performances as well, as they talk about their own fears and struggles. This is easily one of the best songs on the album.
SCENE 2: The second and final skit on this record (again, odd that it’s not three this time around, but oh well), this one has Robert reciting a prayer and discussing his family. Whether that’s referring to BROCKHAMPTON or his actual family is still much discussed (I feel it could be both), but again, the track has some very sinister, scary production (even if it is just reused from the last skit), and I once again really feel for Robert after hearing this. He’s a character that fascinates me that I just want to keep learning more and more about. This skit only helps get me more interested in learning who he is.
FIGHT: Bringing in a new (maybe, maybe not?) theme of expectations on this song, this one is all about the boys’ experiences growing up as black children, and how they want to defy the predetermined victimization that came as a result of their skin color. There are some very sinister strings on this one that give off a very creepy vibe, and I think the flows on this one are strong as always. It’s a very loud track and, once again, I’m glad it’s not as overly-abrasive as some of the tracks on the last record. The vocal filters on this one also add some great variation to the song. It’s not one of my personal favorites on the album, but I can see it growing on me in the future.
SWEET: As we get closer to the ending of this second album, we see the boys talking about the way they handle themselves as “celebrities.” I think the song once again has a subtle old-school feel to it, and it has that same weird production that we love from BROCKHAMPTON. I like that the track is a little more atmospheric and low-key in comparison to the rest of the record, and I find the hook on this one to be one of the album’s best. I don’t think there’s one particularly standout verse on this one, but in this case, that’s not a bad thing because each verse is pretty damn solid. This album is definitely rounding out quite nicely.
GAMBA: Here we have another love song, this one with a slightly more poppy feel to it. It’s got a very bright, very neat, moody instrumental and I have to say this is definitely one of the more melodic tracks on the album, as Dom’s (very strong) verse is more sing-y than any of his previous ones. I also like that, while Kevin goes for a more sing-y feel, he continues to use really fun filters to make his melodies interesting. And, of course, if you’re gonna make a sing-y track, you’ve got to bring in bearface, which they do and for the better, as his voice is so naturally pretty that it meshes well here. Another personal favorite from the album!
SUNNY: With a title like “SUNNY,” you wouldn’t be wrong to expect this to be a brighter song. And sure enough, the boys create a vibe here that just feels more uplifting than some of the previous tracks. It’s got a very nice, very light guitar melody and a very beachy feel (it also sounded like there were some xylophones on this one that made it really great). Ameer’s verse really steals the show here, as his flow and vocals mesh the best with the instrumentals. While the hook is repetitive, it can be very ear-wormy. This one definitely had to take a few listens to grow on me, but I really dig it!
SUMMER: As with the last record, this is the only track on the album to not have a 5-letter name, indicating “SATURATION III” will have all 6-letter names. Once again, the song is handled entirely by bearface, who sings over a very light, moody piano melody about a boy that he wants to be his. As always, his vocals sound lovely, and the guitar solo that comes in after his verse is very cool. I can appreciate that this one is a bit more atmospheric and laid-back than some of the other songs on here, and while I wish bearface had a little bit more of a presence on it, I do think it’s a very emotional, pretty end to the album.
As if a group this large making ONE great album wasn’t shocking enough, BROCKHAMPTION does it AGAIN with “SATURATION II.” Taking on a slightly more upbeat feeling with this record, I can appreciate that the group makes some of the louder tracks here a little less abrasive than some of the stuff on their last record, and even if they go down some of the same routes here, this is a case where that’s not really a bad thing because the group has such a great, weird, different sound to them that, honestly, staying the course was really all they needed to do to keep the good times rolling. And obviously, by staying the course, the boys brought along the same kooky, energetic production and strong performances that made the last album great, and they just do it again here. Most of the time, repeating yourself might not be the best idea for a “sequel” album, but when your style is as refreshing as these guys, it’s actually okay. And even then, they still find ways to make things feel different here! I just really can’t complain much about “SATURATION II,” another great release from BROCKHAMPTON.
“SATURATION III” will be next. I’m very excited, not only because of the album itself but because that will be my 100th album review. Let’s make it special.
Favorite tracks: GUMMY, QUEER, JELLO, TEETH, SWAMP, TOKYO, JESUS, JUNKY, SWEET, GAMBA, SUNNY*, SUMMER
Least favorite tracks: CHICK (if I really had to pick one)
Rating: Excellent
(*An asterisk next to a “favorite track” indicates that the track wasn’t initially one of my “favorite tracks” when I first wrote the review. If a track has an asterisk next to it, it means the song wasn’t initially a favorite of mine, but it grew on me, and the text for the song may have been edited to more properly reflect that.)
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