[Album Review] Brockhampton – SATURATION III

Brockhampton has had one hell of a year. In 2017 alone, the 14 member “boy band” has released 3 albums, SATURATION III marking the end of the trilogy. Even at this rate of production, they’ve managed to keep their consistency up as well, with both SATURATION и SATURATION II turning many heads. However, Brockhampton still refuses to be categorized in SATURATION III; blending elements from хип-хоп, pop, and even dance in their latest LP.

Straight out of the gate, the song “BOOGIE” sounds like nothing the group has ever put out before. Beginning with a similar abrasive start to “HEAT” in the first SATURATION album, Brockhampton wastes no time setting the tone for the album. They try to make it very clear that although it may bear the same name and similar themes as their previous two albums, by no means will it just be a carbon-copy extension of them.

However, this does not last throughout the 15 song track list. Much of the content ends up sounding similar to past albums, which isn’t unexpected for an album with the same name as its predecessors. For example, the song “TEAM” ends the album similarly to the songs “WASTE” and “SUMMER” in the previous two albums, but lacking as much of the sentimental feeling of closure. This rings true with a couple other songs here, but the group is normally good about bringing something new and meaningful to each track.

All things considered, it’s hard to complain. This album has everything, and it packs it all together uniquely. Members like Kevin Abstract, the leader of the group, display their skill in both rapping and singing. The sheer size of the group allows for a diversity of talents to be showcased together, and that’s not something you see very often, especially in hip-hop. Not many are making anything close to Brockhampton’s music, and their sound doesn’t seem to have any limits due to what they have at their disposal. They’ve done everything possible to make a splash in the music scene, as an output of 3 albums in 6 months is certainly admirable.

SATURATION III is a fresh blend of the first two installments of the SATURATION series, and proves that more of the same is not always a bad thing.