Day 85 (Same-ish Day Delivery): Brockhampton — Saturation III
I have only listened to Saturation III 1.5 times so far today. Given that this is the third album the California-based collective has put out this year, that kind of makes me look bad. I probably should’ve saved this one for another day, but the same-day takes must flow.
Despite the fact that multiple people have reached out to me about them, I’ve somehow evaded getting pulled into Brockhampton’s orbit for the most part. Maybe it’s an overcorrection for the fact that I got way too into Odd Future, the closest analogue I can think of. It could be the fact that we live in an age where the idea that a bunch of kids could find each other on a dedicated Kanye West forum and turn into a hip hop collective doesn’t seem as novel or farfetched as it once did. Besides, Brockhampton isn’t filled with the same kind of pent-up, murderous rage that OF was.
The two crews are similar in the sense that both are a breath of fresh air, fighting back against pernicious trends and breaking down old barriers simply by making the kind of music they vibe to. They aren’t afraid to call themselves a “boy band”, the kind of statement that’s sure to elicit attention from the music press. But on closer inspection, it’s less of a contrarian statement and more of a sincere belief in their ability to reclaim control of outdated term from music executives and use it for their own ends. That’s why you’ll find legitimate pop-songs like “HOTTIE” sandwiched between the g-funk rap/R&B of “ALASKA” and whatever the wild and far-reaching “SISTER/NATION” is supposed to be, alongside tracks that whiplash from hard-spitting rap club-ready hooks in no time.
As with the output of any collective governed by a range of personalities, Saturation III arguably sacrifices cohesion for range. But that just highlights the versatility of Romil Hemnani’s production. The moods he (and others like the production duo of Qe) create range from frenetic and party-starting to slow and syrupy. The mood goes where he goes, and with a deep bench featuring Kevin Abstract, Matt Champion, JOBA, Merlyn Wood, and others, there’s someone suited for every moment — whether it has to do with social anxiety, sexuality, or their planned world takeover — along the way.
What makes the whole affair so delightful is exactly that quality: that it’s hard to pin down. This isn’t Soundcloud rap, this isn’t boom-bap or backpack rap, hell some of it isn’t even rap. It feels like the product of an insular creative world, something that’s so refreshing in this age of clout. It’s not perfect, there aren’t god-level bars throughout. But in this day and age, going your own way and doing it well enough puts you in a position to succeed. It’s hard to hop on any hip hop-ish bandwagon the way I did with OF ever again, but count me among those who are glad to hear that Saturation III won’t be the final Brockhampton album after all.
This is Day 85 in my 100 albums in 100 days series, where I review a new album or EP I haven’t heard in full before every day through December 31st. Check out yesterday’s post or see the full archives for more
