BROCKHAMPTON’s newest album incorporates religious themes, diversifying the group’s sound
Last week, America’s favorite boy band released their second studio album (and fifth overall), “GINGER.” In BROCKHAMPTON’s series of soul-filled, rap-centered albums, “GINGER” is by far their most artistic endeavor yet. Spiritual themes dominate the track list, evident in “NO HALO,” “IF YOU PRAY RIGHT” and “HEAVEN BELONGS TO YOU.” “GINGER” is an exciting exhibition of BROCKHAMPTON’s range of abilities, from the expressive, soul-filled tone of “VICTOR ROBERTS” to the upbeat, bass-driven flow of “ST. PERCY.” The classic sound that exists throughout BROCKHAMPTON’s past albums are present in “GINGER,” only layered with a new depth of soulful lines and beautiful production.
“GINGER” stands out against the group’s past albums, being more raw in its emotional expression than their previous work. “DEARLY DEPARTED,” for example, features thoughtful lines from Dom McLennon as he considers the past: “When somebody that you know throws you in the fire / How do you survive?” This song has been rumored to be about the recent removal of past member Ameer Vann from the group. However, BROCKHAMPTON denied that this is the reason for the song in its entirety, though some lines refer to this event. Other songs reflect on deeper questions, such as in “GINGER,” when Matt Champion asks, “Tell me, goddamn, what God made me for?” As mentioned earlier, the spiritual feelings and thoughts throughout “GINGER” have solidified it as the most emotionally intense BROCKHAMPTON album to date.
Of the many members within BROCKHAMPTON (16, to be exact), it seems that Joba, aka Russel Boring, played the biggest part in “GINGER.” The cover features him creative assistant Weston Freas hugging, seemingly happily, in a cool-toned picture on the street. In most of the album art that has been released, Joba sports a freshly-dyed head of red-orange hair. In the album cover itself, Joba’s red cut has faded to a soft copper, and coalesces with the muted blues and greys of the embracing men’s clothing. Joba’s dominant creative role in “GINGER” is only a theory for the album, but the intricacies of each song as well as the increase in vocals throughout the album seems to point to Joba’s artistic tendencies.
If you have never heard of BROCKHAMPTON or are wondering, “Are they really America’s favorite boy band?,” here is a brief history of the group’s incredible success:
Fans love BROCKHAMPTON for their distinctive, yet progressive sound. Their unique music stems from the diversity of people within the group. After all, there are 16 official members in the group, with six of these people contributing vocally in different tracks. This keeps the music interesting, as each member adds their own diverse lines to each song, creating a captivating new sound in hip hop and alternative R&B. The group is not necessarily a “band” in the traditional sense, but they refer to themselves as such. Extremely active in the current music scene, the group has dropped five albums since 2017, including a series of three “SATURATION” albums.
Overall, “GINGER” has brought exceptional music to the hip-hop and alternative R&B scene, with BROCKHAMPTON’s sound becoming increasingly refined. The creative strength of BROCKHAMPTON as well as their ever-changing demography will continue to keep them on the map and boost their success as they continue with their career.