On Their Fifth Studio Album “Ginger,” Brockhampton Presents a Sobering Catharsis Cloaked in Clean Production and Memorable Performances
By Owen Tait
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
From the moment boyband BROCKHAMPTON dropped their debut album SATURATION during the summer of 2017, they became notorious for their infectious hooks, bouncy production, and an extremely versatile roster of performers. Online critics showered the album with favorable reviews, and standout singles such as “GOLD” and “STAR” invaded the underground hip-hop scene, giving the boys a diehard fan base instantaneously.
Despite the success of their first project, the budding crew, led by Houston-native Kevin Abstract, was hardly done for the summer. Just over two months later, they released their second studio album, SATURATION II, which received just as much praise as the first (if not more). Giving their fans no time to breathe, they rounded out the year with the trilogy’s finale, which saw the group diving into pop-rap and experimental territory.
Unfortunately, the recognition that came with releasing three phenomenal projects in the span of six months also brought turmoil to the rising stars. Rapper Ameer Vann was exiled from the group following accusations of sexual assault that surfaced prior to the summer of 2018. Fans and journalists alike were torn on the group’s future, as the young ensemble was clearly shaken; not only had they lost a key member of their group, but they had also lost a close friend.
Fans’ questions were answered the following fall with iridescence, a complete detour from the catchy, playful melodies that carried the SATURATION trilogy. Elastic leads and percussion were replaced with buzzing synths, aggressive percussion, and elegant strings, and the project dove deeper into each member’s mental health than any outing before it. Iridescence was brutal, bleak, and volatile as ever—characteristics that wouldn’t prepare even the most intense Brockhampton fans for their fifth studio album: GINGER.
The album’s rollout was fairly standard for a Brockhampton project. The boys released four singles, all accompanied by stylized music videos, prior to the August 23rd release date. The first three were oddball combinations of the experimental aspects of iridescence and the melodic production from the SATURATION era. However, the final single “NO HALO,” a sobering investigation on the realities of self-fulfillment, explored a new sound for the group entirely, and was far more telling of what GINGER would entail.
The track features solemn acoustic guitar riffs that layer on top of each other as the song progresses and a plethora of elusive, atmospheric synths; the production is subtle in contrast to their previous singles, but it works in a beautiful way. On the lyrical front, each members dishes out a verse that challenges their respective demons head-on. Joba masterfully confesses his struggles with religion & faith, while Merlyn Wood relays his anxieties about “running out of options.” The track has an aura of uncertainty about it, and the result is soul-stirring.
On August 23rd, BROCKHAMPTON released the entirety of GINGER under RCA Records. At 12 tracks and 44 minutes, one could easily argue that it’s the group’s tightest album yet. Better yet, the album also features performances from a whole new cast of characters—joining frequent collaborator Ryan Beatty are singer-songwriter Deb Never, UK rapper slowthai, and newcomer Victor Roberts, who pours his heart out during a moving anecdote on the album’s closing track.
As stated before, this record is unlike anything BROCKHAMPTON has put out in the past; while iridescence was certainly a darker moment in the group’s discography, GINGER gives listeners a project that is somber from start to finish, save for a handful of funky bangers in the front half of the tracklist. “BOY BYE” sees producers Jabari Manwa, Romil Hemnani, and Kiko Merley returning to their SATURATION era tendencies, arranging ricocheting plucks and buoyant 808s under a series of rapid-fire verses from each member.
“ST. PERCY,” easily the hardest & most chaotic song on the tracklist, features extremely confident verses from each member featured. Rappers Matt Champion & Dom McClennon flow effortlessly over a super distorted bassline, while Bearface, who typically croons over the more melodic elements of a beat, lands one of his most charismatic verses yet. Finally, Wood closes out the track with a charged, yelpy outro—one of his zaniest performances to date.
Now, aside from these tracks and a couple of mid-tempo cyphers, GINGER is an austere look into the group’s struggles with fame, self-acceptance, and the trust issues they’ve faced since their parting with Ameer Vann. Anything that wasn’t addressed on iridescence finds its way onto this record, and the entire runtime is extremely grounded in reality, as even the highs of the album have their dark sides (I didn’t even bring up the lyrics on “BOY BYE”).
For example, “SUGAR” is every bit as sweet as its title would imply, as Ryan Beatty supplies one of the most contagious hooks on the album; however, it’s also a track littered with melancholy references to old memories and relationship insecurities. Beatty’s line “tell me what I’m waiting for” is reminiscent of Joba’s hook on the SATURATION cut “FACE”—a gloomy number in its own right—and Bearface’s refrain “So do you love me?” sounds more like a plea than casual reassuring question.. The track sounds more bittersweet than anything, but you’ll find yourself singing along nonetheless.
The title track strikes a similar chord in that it contains extremely catchy performances, yet also feels forlorn in its lonely synths and timid vocal melodies. Kevin Abstract’s hook references moving on from a crucial relationship with someone you once loved, but acknowledges the feeling of wanting them to have a place in your home despite the heartbreak. Champion delivers his most emotional verse on the project, lamenting “I don’t even love no more, I don’t even trust no more” over a sea of gentle background vocals.
Even more emotional, however, is the climactic track “DEARLY DEPARTED,” which sees four out of the six members of the group reflecting on their betrayal by former member Ameer Vann. Abstract settles into an off-kilter flow for an extremely poetic verse, and Joba’s wailing vocals on the chorus are sure to give most listeners chills, but the pivotal moment on the track stems from an outraged McLennon, who commands full attention in an intense account of the trauma Vann put the group through. It’s one of the many raw, cathartic moments on the album, as members seem to be casting their burdens out left and right.
Tracks such as “BIG BOY” and “VICTOR ROBERTS” fall under this umbrella, the former featuring a standout verse from Joba, who delves into his experiences with toxic relationships, unstable mental health, and simply wanting to be better. His desperate cries for those around him to “Patch me up, and stitch it / make me better” are absolutely gut-wrenching, and his abandoned vocal delivery only stirs more emotion.
As I’ve mentioned numerous times, GINGER is a bleak, downbeat album that carries a similar tone to 2018’s iridescence; however, unlike its experimental predecessor, GINGER is littered with significant, catchy hooks and verses. While not much from iridescence stuck with me like the group’s earlier material, GINGER already has me singing along with the hooks and memorizing lines from verses across the record. Also, the minimalist instrumentals that riddle the project make it easy to latch onto the more subtle melodies and groovy rhythms. It feels as if the band is continuing on a more experimental and intimate path, but their songwriting abilities are returning to peak form as well.
Additionally, this album brings the best out of members that had previously been underutilized or pushed to the back of the ensemble. Most notably, Bearface shines through on this record like never before; on almost every track here, his versatile vocal capabilities and irresistible refrains provide a serene contrast from the other member’s harder verses. Meanwhile, Matt Champion evolves as a rapper and performer, supplying multifaceted verses and entrancing hooks throughout the project.
Even the members that take more of a backseat on the record are still in peak condition. Merlyn still delivers energetic, hard-hitting verses in his trademark patois, and Joba still acts as the group’s wildcard, switching effortlessly between his gorgeous falsetto on some cuts and an intense spoken delivery on others. Dom is still pens lyrical verses in top condition, and Kevin’s hooks have returned to their former excellence
Overall, GINGER is a phenomenal effort from BROCKHAMPTON. The boyband manages to carry over the experimental tone and themes from iridescence and expand on them, all while fixing any misfires they may have had with that record. The songwriting is brilliant, and each member continues to bring out each other’s strengths; the entire record feels like a crucial statement that the group needed to make, and despite the somber presence that permeates the project, I only have hope that things will improve for the BROCKHAMPTON boys.
Favorite Tracks:
SUGAR (feat. Ryan Beatty)
DEARLY DEPARTED
GINGER
Rating: 9
Listen to GINGER here:
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