Album Review: ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE - BROCKHAMPTON

BROCKHAMPTON took the internet by storm with the release of their SATURATION trilogy in 2017, which consisted of three inventive albums with hard-hitting beats and unique personalities. The group has achieved a moderate level of mainstream success since then, in large part due to songs like “SUGAR”, which became radio hits. The following albums that the group released, iridescence and GINGER, reflected the hardships and interpersonal conflicts the group had been navigating after one of their primary members left due to scandals and accusations. This led to major introspection and less of an uplifting atmosphere to a lot of their releases, but not too much to their detriment. After a brief hiatus in 2020, the self-proclaimed “hardest working boyband in the world” has returned with their newest album ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE. Frontman Kevin Abstract has said this is the first of two albums the group will release in 2021, which will also be their final two projects. I had high expectations after the group built hype surrounding this project leading to its release, and luckily, those hopes were exceeded.

The opening track and lead single for this project, “BUZZCUT (feat. Danny Brown)”, is the epitome of the type of music that put BROCKHAMPTON on the map. A loud and colorful beat with sharp production and abrasive lyricism gets things off to an extremely strong and confident start. The Danny Brown feature is used perfectly, as his eclectic delivery fits this beat perfectly. The song’s music video is appropriately fitting, as well, and cements this as one of the strongest opening tracks on any of the group’s projects so far. Next up is “CHAIN ON (feat. JPEGMAFIA)”, which has been reworked since its debut as a part of the group’s Technical Difficulties singles that released last year. Peggy’s verse is packed tight with impressive bars, and its minimal beat is a nice contrast to the opening track. Dom’s closing verse is a new addition to this track and delivers quality as usual. The third track on the album “COUNT ON ME” is a summertime, windows down vibe with non-credited contributions from A$AP Rocky. This track has grown on me quite a bit since its initial release.

“BANKROLL (feat. A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg)” is the beginning of this album’s producers really starting to show off their skills. This beat is intricate, multi-layered, and textured in a way that allows each member’s contributions to shine. I particularly enjoyed Merlyn’s verse on this track. “THE LIGHT” is one of this group’s highest points, with an incredibly crisp and guitar-backed instrumental and lets Joba begin his takeover of this project. The revelation that Joba’s father killed himself last year becomes an anchor for this album’s themes, creating a dark and vulnerable tone that is handled with aggressive and powerful delivery. This album is continually changing in its tone but in a useful and enjoyable way. “WINDOWS (feat. SoGone SoFlexy)” is a traditional hip-hop beat allowing each member to spit their hearts out. The “Go Merlyn! Go Merlyn!” refrain during his verse brought a smile to my face. Matt Champion’s flow is impressive, and despite this track’s 6+ minute runtime, it doesn’t overstay its welcome.

“I’LL TAKE YOU ON (feat. Charlie Wilson) is another smooth pop-inspired track with a warm atmosphere that channels GINGER more than any of their previous projects. This is one of the less abrasive tracks on the album, serving as a strong transition into “OLD NEWS (feat. Baird)”, which feels like a traditional BROCKHAMPTON track. Again, Joba’s closing verse is a bright highlight that closes this track strongly. “WHAT’S THE OCCASION?” is another guitar-based track with reverberating vocal deliveries from Matt Champion and Joba. The first few minutes of this track are solid, but its closing instrumental peak is otherworldly, culminating in a beautiful closing that leads well into the next track.

“WHEN I BALL” has one of my favorite instrumentals on this project, channeling The College Dropout-era Kanye West in its smooth and piano-packed summertime sound. Dom’s verses are few and far between on this album, unfortunately, but he brings the heat every time. The soft and accessible sounds from the previous tracks come to a grinding halt with “DON’T SHOOT UP THE PARTY”, which is as sonically aggressive as SATURATION III’s opening track “BOOGIE”, but with more intense subject matter. Kevin Abstract’s verse is very strong, and the song’s screeching chorus is addictive.

The penultimate track “DEAR LORD” is a completely stripped-back, anthemic, and choral performance that allows the boys to harmonize in a very churchlike fashion. The sentiment of this track is beautiful, as it seems the group is pleading for positivity for their group members Kevin Abstract and Joba who have been through so much in recent months. This track still gives me goosebumps. “THE LIGHT PT. II” is an extremely raw and revealing closing track that brought tears to my eyes, as Joba reflects on his father’s death and reveals all of his thoughts regarding this tragedy with incredible clarity. BROCKHAMPTON has never shied away from sharing its vulnerabilities, but this takes that to the next level. An absolutely brilliant closing track for an astounding album - the group’s best yet.

It has been a pleasure to watch BROCKHAMPTON mature as artists and as people, sharing their journey all along the way. This album is their most refined, confident, and impressive yet, with hard-hitting tracks and emotional reflections that make it an incredibly compelling listen with high replay value. ROADRUNNER sets a new standard for this group, and I can’t wait to see if it can be topped with their final album release later this year.

Favorite tracks: “BUZZCUT (feat. Danny Brown)”, “CHAIN ON (feat. JPEGMAFIA)”, “COUNT ON ME”, “BANKROLL (feat. A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg)”, “THE LIGHT”, “WINDOWS (feat. SoGone SoFlexy)”, “OLD NEWS (feat. Baird)”, “WHAT’S THE OCCASION?”, “WHEN I BALL”, “DON’T SHOOT UP THE PARTY”, “DEAR LORD”, “THE LIGHT PART II”

SCORE: Strong 8/10