Review Summary: They put my head in the water and it's so beautiful under
On the morning of iridescence’s release, rapper Dom McLennon of the boy band and hip-hop collective Brockhampton, tweeted “We really went to abbey road and made the most abrasive album we could.” Yet, for the amount of abrasiveness that appears on the group’s newest release, there’s a decent chunk of sweeping, elated experimentation. It’s clear that the group have changed since their triumphant run of three albums in 2017, it hadn’t even been a year since the release of their last album and it seemed Brockhampton had already faced a lot — signing to RCA records in March and two months later facing allegations of sexual and emotional abuse against founding member Ameer Vann that resulted in his firing from the group. With the release of iridescence, the band explore emotions that would arise from these certain situations, and not to mention the emotions that come from rebuilding each other as a team. And even with the reportedly $15 million signing to a record label, the band don’t exactly take the commercial route.
In a nutshell, the album contains some of the hardest and heaviest production that the group have composed. Opening track “NEW ORLEANS” is a welcoming invitation to the group’s new solidified lineup, and a track made to knock you off your feet. Each rapper shines — the lively Merlyn raps “Voodoo man, Mama took me to the church and I sang a hymn”, his personality the biggest in the track, and yet, this is the same rapper that bleeds one of the most hard-hitting lyrics in latter track “Tonya”. Throughout the album there are orchestral arrangements that enliven emotion, and on “Tonya”, it’s at its most heated. “What’s costing you time? What’s the reason that you whine? What’s in your wallet? Dead whites in mine.” Iridescence seems to be an honorable mix of old and new ways — Brockhampton have seen their fame rise, from working in their home in San Marcos, Texas, to recording at Abbey Road in London, and yet each rapper emits thoughts of depression and nostalgia.
At the center of the album is “WEIGHT”, a track that illustrates the pain since the fame. Each verse feels raw — the group unified in their struggles since stardom. “They split my world into pieces / I ain’t heard from my nieces,” Kevin Abstract raps in the song’s beginning, to which he spouts out more types of pressure pertaining to the weight that he carries — and he isn’t the only member. “J’OUVERT” is another hard-hitting track with a commanding, intentionally grimy beat that goes hand-in-hand with its lyrics. Joba grabs the mic and delivers an angry but intimate verse — “Misunderstood since birth, *** what you think and *** what you heard”, he raps, and he’s undoubtedly made clear. And while the album’s intentions aren’t all angry, the team make use of sweet, uplifting arrangements.
For a song titled “THUG LIFE”, the group surprisingly deliver one of their most heartfelt and catchiest tracks yet. Production is sweet and crisp, despite the easygoing simpleness — Bearface sings his heart out over a piano, seguing weirdly okay into the intentional roughness of “BERLIN”, a track that sounds like a musical exchange between revving engines. Songs like “SAN MARCOS” and “TONYA” take a break from the abrasive nature that the band sought after, and instead explore the essence of being young, famous, and still carrying the things you thought you would leave behind. “I took a plane to somewhere that I’ve never been / too many times without my sister and my brother, dad or mother by my side” McLennon raps, later touching on his mental health and how he isn’t ashamed of it.
Iridescence is brimming with that theme of knowing your inner demons and wanting to make it better — and even being unashamed — despite all the hurdles. Each member’s open attitude to revealing their struggles since fame is what unites the group — on top of the album’s boisterous production gives it the edge needed. Some of those heavier tracks like “DISTRICT” and “VIVID” can seem to blend together, retreating the band’s motives to something like turned up and charged beats that don’t have enough weight to them. Nevertheless, Brockhampton connect through their affecting charm, and their struggles, too — it’s flooded emotions packed within a solid force that boost their larger-than-life sound.
