The Light is Worth the Wait
Review: “ROADRUNNER:NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE” from Brockhampton
Brockhampton’s sixth studio album exceeded many expectations with a variety of heavy lyrics and its versatility of sounds. Photo by Danny Howe via Unsplash
The one word that can describe Brockhampton's album, ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE, is frisson. Frisson is the French word for aesthetic chills; a physical response one gets when the brain's dopamine rewards system activates. Studies have shown that frisson is linked to the body's cerebral blood flow and brain activity related to rewards and emotions. ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE is an album that gives the listeners a sense of frisson. The album's deep-hearted lyrics and uncanny production leave listeners looking for 'the light.'
Since 2015, Brockhampton has made its name known in the experimental hip hop world. Front man Kevin Abstract formed the group back in 2015 when he and members of the online forum community KayneToThe, moved into a house together and started making music. Brockhampton wasn't just made of songwriters; the group was formed around creatives and kids who wanted to express themselves. From then on, Brockhampton would become the creative force we know today, releasing six studio albums, records certifying platinum and gold, and numerous appearances on the Billboard 200 charts.
While many of the group's singles received widespread praise like "BLEACH" or "SUGAR," some of their recent albums have missed the mark on their greatness. Mankaprr Conteh of Rolling Stone wrote that, at times, Brockhampton's albums are "scattered in tone and style, jerking you from one genre to another, showing versatility but at times incohesion." Brockhampton's sixth studio album ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE, released on April 9 manages to immerse listeners into a world of reflection.
On the opening track, "BUZZCUT," the group takes no hesitation in making sure the listeners know that this is a BROCKHAMPTON album. Utilizing chopped-up vocal samples and police sirens, the production comes in hot and unexpected. However, Brockhampton deflects this chaos by balancing the sound out with simple lyrics and leading into the next song with calmness and ease. Although polarizing, Brockhampton leaves listeners wanting more.
As the album goes on, tracks like "CHAIN ON" and "COUNT ON ME" beautifully emulate sounds of old hip hop with Brockhampton's creative flair. These tracks and others utilize simple beats that unconsciously force the listener to bop their heads up and down.
The album's production isn't set solely on the core production of raps. Tracks like "I'LL TAKE YOU ON" and "DEAR LORD" demonstrate the group's ability to work on different music genres. These songs sound different than most of the other tracks; however they do not make the album as a whole sound incohesive. Instead, the pieces add to this album's creative narrative by deliberately emulating core sounds like Alternative-R&B and Gospel; it adds unexpectedness and creativity to the overall project. Brockhampton here executes the perfect mix of versatility without being unorganized or inclusive.
The core of the album comes in the form of the song "THE LIGHT." What is both a well-produced song and has intimate and profound lyrics, the song's central concept surrounds the album's whole theme and lays a picture blueprint for the album's narrative. In the starting moments of the album, the listeners hear a spoken word from group member Joba describing the idea of what the 'light' is. Joba delivers talks about the chaos surrounding his life and how he is simply "just tryin' to see the light, in between the clouds."
The track then goes into profoundly personal and heavy verse by Joba. He raps about troubles dealing with his mental health after his father's suicide. Joba recalls his deeply personal thoughts on the subject and talks about facing hard truths he has had to deal with. In the track, he says, "When I look at myself, I see a broken man. Remnants of my pops, put the Glock to his head". As Joba goes on, he talks about his father's legacy and says, "Bedtime stories from purgatory, I miss you." In a later track, "THE LIGHT PT. II," Joba dives even deeper into his father's death. He questions his father's intentions and wishes that he was with him to see his progress.
What many were expecting to be another heavy experimental rap album, Brockhampton's sixth studio album ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE, exceeds expectations and delivers something that could be considered as a gift from “the light.” With profoundly personal and heavy lyrics and a mix of hard and soft vocals, their album is a perfect exploration of balancing the two. ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE is an album that by all means will give listeners a sense of frisson.