July 29, 20222 yr First listen thoughts and review: 08.5 I'M THAT GIRL > Really liking this as an opener! Strong start. < 09.0 COZY > This is great! I love the rhythm and melody of the production! < 09.0 ALIEN SUPERSTAR > Incredible. More listens and this could become my favourite. < 08.0 CUFF IT > This is a lot more disco/funk. It's a lot of fun. But my least fave so far. < 06.0 ENERGY > Not a fan of the production melody on this one, personally. It starts off good, but quickly becomes a mess... < 08.5 BREAK MY SOUL > This has been very, very slowly growing on me. This has been my favourite listen of it so far (in context of the album), but I still find Big Freedia very annoying on it. But the parts of this song I do like, I LOVE! < 06.0 CHURCH GIRL > Nice. Definitely one of the "filler" moments though. Kinda expected more from this one tbh! < 06.0 PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA > This just seems random. But you can tell she's having fun on this at least. Another filler track though. < 06.5 VIRGO'S GROOVE > Very repetitive and... kinda one note? Once you've heard 30 seconds you've heard it all... < 07.0 MOVE > This is fun. Definitely better than the last 3 tracks. < 07.0 HEATED > Starting to run out of inspiration on what to write, coz the quality has taken a bit of a nose dive since 'BREAK MY SOUL'... < 08.0 THIQUE > Liking this one. Finally starting to get back on track. < 08.5 ALL UP IN YOUR MIND > OHHHH. MORE LIKE IT. YES! < 08.0 AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM > Another very good track. This album hits so much harder with the more "experimental" tracks. < 08.5 PURE/HONEY > Loving the 90's dance/house inspiration throughout this album, but especially this track. Loving the funk switch up towards the mid-way point. < 09.0 SUMMER RENAISSANCE > Nice sample of Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love'. This is a lovely closing song! That's a really great sample use tbh. < --- THOUGHTS: Cut everything from CHURCH GIRL through to and including HEATED and I would say this album is the 2022 equivalent to 'Confessions On A Dancefloor'. I don't mind "filler", but there was just 3 too many here and having them all appear back to back didn't help. I'm gonna make a playlist with those removed and see how much more I prefer it. It'd already be her 2nd best album for me if it wasn't for that big patch after BMS! GAH. Kinda, low-key, gives me '20/20 Experience' vibes in places....... But yeah. Tracks 7-11 can be removed and you have an incredible album. EDIT: 'ENERGY' is probs my least fave, but it fits the album/sound a lot more than the other 5. I can at least hear what they were TRYING to achieve with it and it may actually grow once I get used to it.
July 29, 20222 yr Wowww, i'm shocked how good this album is. I haven't liked an album of hers in so long, now this is the Beyonce I enjoy!
July 29, 20222 yr This is just incredible & I feel like the album really elevates from track 10. Early faves, although I know this is going to change as I hammer this album: Summer Renaissance Heated Break my soul Move Thique Pure/Honey
July 29, 20222 yr The album sounds brilliant - not sure if I return to it as much as I do with some of her other albums (mostly self-titled and 4) but we'll see.
July 29, 20222 yr I don’t even know where to start with this — but ‘Motomami’ has some competition for album of the year. What a triumph. The way Beyoncé subverted expectations again — anyone expecting an album of basic surface-level bops will be disappointed (‘Break My Soul’ had me worried for a minute). This really is a celebration of the origins of dance music as well as a look into the future. The clash of genres — disco, afropop, ballroom… honestly, it doesn't matter what genre or soundscape she touches — she just keeps proving, again and again, her artistic superiority to her peers. It's a dense album — I can't wait to let it unravel over the next few days.
July 29, 20222 yr The timing of this album could not be better !! Decent but a bit long …… Summer Renaissance Cuff It Energy Church Girl My stand outs after initial listen !
July 29, 20222 yr I love that it’s always such an event when she releases a new album. Having no idea what to expect definitely adds to that, but she’s exceeded all my expectations even from the first couple of listens. It’s a lot more varied than I thought it would be from Break My Soul, but it manages to be that while also being a really cohesive listen. Those transitions between songs :heart: I love that it’s an ode to ball culture while also looking to the future of dance, like blacksquare says. The production throughout is impeccable… so much to unpack. Alien Superstar, Virgo’s Groove, All Up in Your Mind, Pure/Honey :heart:
July 29, 20222 yr Why is Twitter not liking ALL UP IN YOUR MIND? Liiiikkeeeee??? I... don't understand? :cry: Listening to the playlist where I've cut out CG-HEATED and it's f***ing OUTSTANDING! I'll give the full album a couple more listens properly before I just use my playlist (see if any of them grow etc..) but yeah... I'm LOVING it more without those tracks for me!
July 29, 20222 yr There's a theory going around that she hasn't released the videos because people were saying she was relying solely on the visuals for the last few eras or something. It goes back to an interview a couple of years back too, so it's been done on purpose/with intention by the sounds of it. The visuals are coming but they're releasing at a different time.
July 29, 20222 yr Energy and Virgo’s Groove are my first highlights for sure. Amazing stuff. And I finally listened to Break My Soul consciously in full :’)
July 29, 20222 yr Gave this a full listen last night, the last half first thing this morning AND another full listen by 9AM. Amazing. PURE/HONEY is my track. Amazing.
July 29, 20222 yr I'm quite disappointed with the album, not what I was hoping for. :( "Break My Soul" is the best track, although I like "Cozy", "Cuff It" and "Virgo's Groove". I also like the "Honey" part of "Pure/Honey" and "Thique". Maybe the album will grow on me with some more listens. Edited July 29, 20222 yr by Envoirment
July 30, 20222 yr I am Sasha fierce remains my favourite Beyonce album to date but holy shizz. This is definitely giving it a run for it's money. This is effortlessly fantastic and forward thinking and I couldn't have been more happily surprised at the album. If I did have one critique it would be that it's too long but never knock an artist for releasing a lot of music. EDIT. unless it's Kanye West. Then knock him. Edited July 30, 20222 yr by JSG
July 30, 20222 yr I need to listen to this more to make my mind up. It’s quite relentless so it’s a lot to take in at once, I definitely liked elements of it but some of the tracks also blurred for me. I can imagine me enjoying it more if I cut it down, just need to work out which tracks to drop. Pure/Honey is pretty great, as were Alien Superstar and Virgo’s Groove
July 30, 20222 yr I need to listen to this more to make my mind up. It’s quite relentless so it’s a lot to take in at once, I definitely liked elements of it but some of the tracks also blurred for me. I can imagine me enjoying it more if I cut it down, just need to work out which tracks to drop. Pure/Honey is pretty great, as were Alien Superstar and Virgo’s Groove None!
July 30, 20222 yr This album is going to make me an insufferable Beyoncé stan — I can't remember the last time I was this impressed by an album. It's absolutely sprawling — the references, the samples, the production... I'm just constantly finding something new to get lost in.
Create an account or sign in to comment