BROCKHAMPTON, the self-proclaimed boy band and creative collective formed in Texas, is becoming one of the more interesting hip-hop acts to watch. The 14-member crew, comprised of rappers, singers, producers, songwriters, and visual artists originating everywhere from Ireland and Grenada to Jacksonville and Connecticut, is forging its own space on the fringes by putting a weirdo rap stamp on pop iconography. Starting with de facto leader Kevin Abstract, they’ve released quite a bit of music both as a group and independently, building a healthy buzz over the last several years.

In 2017, BROCKHAMPTON are more visible than ever, releasing two installments of their Saturation mixtape series, appearing in the Viceland docuseries “American Boyband,” and growing a young, devout following. In recent months, they received a cosign from their DIY progenitor Tyler, the Creator and performed at his Camp Flog Gnaw carnival. It’s easy but also lazy to draw the very basic parallels between BROCKHAMPTON and Odd Future. For starters, the best rapper in BROCKHAMPTON isn’t even as skilled as Hodgy, and the groups as a whole have entirely different motives. The BROCKHAMPTON approach is more business by committee. They cover one another’s weaknesses and build upon individual strengths through teamwork.

As a collective, BROCKHAMPTON seem to be on the cusp of perfecting their formula, and it’s exciting to watch them tinker with the process. But with so much material scattered across so many members, it can be difficult to find the right entry point into the BROCKHAMPTON catalog. With Saturation III supposedly around the corner, here are 10 highlights across their individual and collective releases that showcase what BROCKHAMPTON’s all about.

BROCKHAMPTON: “Cotton Hollow”

Producers: Misc. Friend, Jabari Manwa & Dom McLennon

All-American Trash, BROCKHAMPTON’s first project as a collective, set the precedent for what the group could be: a free-form project seeking an indefinable sound. “Cotton Hollow” is emblematic of this concept, tinkering with unorthodox verse formats and oddball beats with shiny attachments. The song’s understated production changes several times, coming undone.

BROCKHAMPTON: “Boys”

Producer: Jabari Manwa

Identity is important to the members of BROCKHAMPTON. They each make a point of telling their stories, whether black, brown, or white; queer or straight; rapper, singer, producer, visual artist, or web designer. Maybe that’s why they feel so strongly about being referred to as an all-American boy band, rebranding the teen heartthrob as all of the things it historically hasn’t been. On Saturation’s “Boys,” they dig deeper into their characterizations. As member Ameer Vann puts it plainly, “Me and all my niggas, Southside One Direction.”

BROCKHAMPTON: “Home”

Producer: bearface.

Unsurprisingly, BROCKHAMPTON dislike being called a rap collective. It’s a term with limiting connotations, but it’s also not entirely accurate to what they do. “Home,” a highlight from Belfast-bred singer/producer bearface. that appears on All-American Trash, is one of several BROCKHAMPTON tracks that avoids rap altogether. It’s soft, intimate R&B—a dramatic change of pace from their typically busy compositions.

BROCKHAMPTON: “Star”

Producer: Jabari Manwa

Whether BROCKHAMPTON is a rap collective or boy band is mostly a matter of semantics at this point: they’re boys, they’re in a band, and most of them rap in some capacity. Some are even competent rappers and have proven themselves as capable soloists. “Star,” which features the crew’s three strongest rappers (Kevin Abstract, Ameer Vann, and Dom McLennon), shows what BROCKHAMPTON is capable of when running on all cylinders, each verse building on the last. “I’m the only pop star with no money/Can’t drive, so I’m still running,” Abstract raps, finding his niche.

Brockhampton: “Trip”

Producer: Romil Hemnani

The collective’s more experimental tendencies manifest in songs like the misshapen, multi-toned “Trip,” which toys with pitching, reverb, and other distortions. The song plays out like a series of warped flashbacks to small-town nightmares, as a group of dreamers and outsiders dare to be themselves. This strong sense of self carries over into their best solo work.

Kevin Abstract: “Save”

Producer: Romil Hemnani

Abstract, the 20-year-old rapper, singer, and founder of BROCKHAMPTON, was the first member to break through nationally when he released MTV1987 in 2014. “Save,” the tape’s standout, told his story by establishing Kid Cudi as his forebear and tracing his group’s origins in Corpus Christi (“The crib we had on Brockhampton made all us feel enormous,” he sings). It’s a song about being young and lost, a theme that has become a part of the BROCKHAMPTON manifesto over time. Over a slowed down sample of King Krule’s “The Krockadile,” a teenaged Abstract longed to find meaning in existence: “You think it’s wrong for me to die?/Shit, I’ve been dead my whole life/I’m still searching for what’s right.” His search continues to this day.

bearface.: “no one like u.” [ft. No Rome]

Producers: bearface. & Romil Hemnani

Ciaran Ruaridh McDonald, aka bearface., is one of BROCKHAMPTON’s secret weapons. Within the group, he is a beatmaker first, but a handful of solo tracks floating around online suggest he might be the collective’s most versatile threat, despite being overlooked by BROCKHAMPTON’s cult following. The plunging R&B balladry on “no one like u.” is more polished than many of the group’s most popular cuts. Surrounded by submerged synths, McDonald’s shimmering voice rises to the surface of his mixes, his longing and regret lingering in each note.

Ameer Vann: “Black Snake Moan”

Producer: Albert Gordon

Houston rapper Ameer Vann went to high school with Abstract and was one of the earliest members of BROCKHAMPTON. What he lacks in technicality and flow he makes up for with cutting and deeply personal lyrics, self-diagnosing his depression or condemning an abusive father. The growling, guitar-soaked “Black Snake Moan” is a balance of both that pairs dead-eyed delivery with his most effective writing (“Got a father down below and a Father up in heaven/And I still ain’t never met him”). Abstract is easily the crew’s most talented member, but Vann is often its most gripping one.

JOBA: “Sad Saturdays”

Producers: JOBA & Romil Hemnani

JOBA, aka Russell Boring, worked at Number 6 Productions in Houston, and his experience there led Abstract, Vann, and other local members to hold pre-BROCKHAMPTON recording sessions at his home studio. Eventually JOBA fell in with the crew, mixing, mastering, and producing music for other members. But he’s more than just BROCKHAMPTON’s sound guru, as proven by the rattling, desire-filled “Sad Saturdays.” JOBA’s pristine, airy vocals call out for someone in the shadows, but he’s chasing something real. “I dare you to let me in,” he tells a lover who’s no longer listening.

Brockhampton: “Dirt”

Producers: Jabari Manwa, Kiko Merley, Joba, bearface. & Romil Hemnani

BROCKHAMPTON’s collective strength is captured by the contorted keyboard jam “Dirt,” the group’s ultimate posse cut championing Southern roots. Produced by just about the entire in-house team (Q3, JOBA, Bearface, and Romil Hemnani) and featuring verses from Abstract, Vann, McLennon, Matt Champion, and Merlyn Wood, “Dirt” underscores the BROCKHAMPTON promise. Four beat fragments are stitched together, some with slight modifications and others as full-on alterations. Each member makes the most of their time, no one performance outshining the other. BROCKHAMPTON songs function best this way—the whole being greater that the sum of the parts, collaboration compensating for individual flaws that might otherwise be glaring. Simply put, they’re better united.