Ok, so I thought I’d write my first review on an album that 100% is one of my favourites of 2017, and that is Brockhampton’s Saturation III.

For those unfamiliar with the name, Brockhampton are a boyband that have really taken the year by storm. The group, consisting of rappers, singers, producers, website designers, photographers etc etc etc (they literally do every single thing in-house) have released a total of 3 Saturation albums this year, this one wrapping up the trilogy just before the holidays.

Their style of music really takes on many influences, from old school 90s style G funk to beautiful reverb-filled guitar solos, it really does feel like there’s a Brockhampton song out there for everyone.



If you’re really new to the group, I’d recommend checking out this blog which gives an overview of each member and their role in the boyband.

I personally have loved everything the group has had to offer this year, and their 3rd instalment of the Saturation series does not disappoint in the slightest. Just like both 1 & 2, Saturation 3 is filled with insanely catchy hooks from Kevin Abstract, refreshing and creative production from Romil, Jabari and Kiko, and some seriously impressive bars and vocal performances from Ameer, Matt, Kevin, Joba, Merlyn and Dom.

A fantastic example of all of these things wrapped up into one song is on STUPID, a track that starts off with some very quiet, almost broken-sounding chords which explode into a beat guaranteed to make you want to nod your head along to. Strong verses from Merlyn, Ameer and Matt lead to the eventual hook, which to me is easily their catchiest of the album.

That track also features one of my favourite verses on the project from Kevin, who during the verse unapologetically addresses his sexuality with the line “I’m a faggot I say it, I scream that shit like I mean it.” To me, there’s so much more value in a lyric if it addresses something that really means something to the person saying it. With homosexuality being something that for some reason is frowned upon by others particularly in rap music, that line and the way he says it just feels like a massive fuck you to people with that mindset and I love it.

But yeah, that’s literally one song off the album and there’s so much to say about it. I could mention Merlyn’s energetic entrance to the song, Ameer referring to how he feels like his decisions are leading him further and further away from heaven’s doors, or Matt Champion’s traditionally lowkey confidence. There really is so much to take from this group in each and every one of their tracks.

Another standout moment for me and many others with this project is their song BLEACH, which features a very mellow beat and a nostalgic looped sound that strangely reminds me of something you’d hear on an old spongebob episode. This, coupled with arguably the group’s most beautiful hooks in their discography makes for such a calming and well put together song.

btw bleach was the song that i was mad hyped about months back! — Jabari Manwa (@JabariManwa) December 15, 2017

There are plenty of other highlights wihin Saturation 3, from the wild and risky SISTER/NATION to Joba’s very personal verse on JOHNNY, the group really has given us more talking points than ever on their final album of the trilogy. It really would take me forever to mention just how many great moments there are on this album, and it feels like every time I play it through I pick up on a new thing that I love about it. Whether it be a intricate production touch or a well-positioned harmony overlaying a verse, there songs really do feel incredibly dense throughout.

If I were to compare this Saturation to their other two Saturation projects, I’d say that the key thing that sets it apart from its predecessors is the structure of the songs/album. To me, Saturation 3 feels like a much more polished album than 1 and 2. I feel like this time around their songs have more depth to them, and verses seem to compliment each other a lot more affectively as opposed to feeling quite separate. For example, Matt and Merlyn seriously impressed me this time around with some of their flows and wordplay (particularly their part to play in ZIPPER) and this generally helped songs to flow into different verses easier without feeling perhaps as forced.

On top of this, Saturation 3′s tracks seamlessly merge into one another throughout the project, which personally gives me much more incentive to play the album fully in order instead of mixing up the tracks. Not that that was something I necessarily looked for in their previous work, but it was a nice touch.

In terms of negatives towards the album, I’m nitpicking but at times flows do feel a little same-y, yet realistically with each member bringing so much personality to the table this really isn’t a pressing issue I have with the album. I also feel like there are a couple of tracks that aren’t quite as prolific as the rest of the album, however by no means are these tracks bad songs whatsoever.

So overall then, I would say this definitely is my favourite Saturation yet. I haven’t been able to stop playing it since it’s release last Friday, in fact i’ve pretty much been forcing my girlfriend to listen to it every chance I get which probably isn’t healthy..

It really does feel like the most refined album we’ve had from the boyband, and with Team Effort coming next year I can’t wait to see how they step it up a notch again. 8.6/10