BENEE - Hey u x ALBUM REVIEW
Tik Tok has been one of the biggest platforms on the planet, and I’ve really warmed up to it over the months I’ve been on it. The amount of music discovery, or rediscovery, that’s on the platform is on a whole new level and it’s pretty great. While songs from Jason Derulo and Roddy Ricch on Tik Tok, some breakout stars are found on there, BENEE being one of the bigger examples. Her song with Gus Dapperton, “Supalonely,” was a big hit and since then, she’s had a major appearance on arguably the best pop album so far this year, Joji’s Nectar. This right here, Hey u x, is her debut album and I’ve been pretty excited to hear this. Let’s just get right into it.
Hey u x is an indie album with pop and R&B influences. I can get right to the point on this: BENEE feels like a brighter, more funky Clairo. This may be just me, but they have very similar styles to me. While that isn’t a bad thing by any means, it still has a very strong Clairo vibe. Now that’s out of the way, let’s get into the songs. All of the songs are surprisingly consistent here, with “Kool” being my favorite out of the bunch. The song’s very infectious, with a bassline that reminds me of that Tame Impala song “The Less I Know, The Better” for some reason. I guess the one song that kinda drags on a little bit is “Snail” simply because it seems like a clone of Billie Eilish, and I just like a little more personality in artists so they stand out better. The features here are also pretty good too! Grimes is a surprisingly great addition to “Sheesh,” Mallrat has great chemistry with BENEE on “Winter,” and there’s nothing plain about Lily Allen and Flo Milli’s appearances on “Plain.” The biggest shortcomings on Hey u x is the lyrics. Yes, she may not be old enough to drink yet, but the way she expresses her emotions are very VERY blunt, and I’d usually be fine with it depending on the style of music, but for the indie-pop route, I don’t think it meshes too well for me.
The potential is all there for BENEE, and I think, because of Hey u x, she’ll be able to shed the label of a ‘Tik Tok artist’ soon. While this is an indie album, there are good genre fusions for it to stand out in this sea of sad indie girls, and I’m quite excited about it. Because of Tik Tok and Joji, she has more of an audience. Now, her acclaim is here to take. While Hey u x is no masterpiece, it’s still a strong debut for a relatively new artist.
7/10
Stream Hey u x here
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
Hey u x is an indie album with pop and R&B influences. I can get right to the point on this: BENEE feels like a brighter, more funky Clairo. This may be just me, but they have very similar styles to me. While that isn’t a bad thing by any means, it still has a very strong Clairo vibe. Now that’s out of the way, let’s get into the songs. All of the songs are surprisingly consistent here, with “Kool” being my favorite out of the bunch. The song’s very infectious, with a bassline that reminds me of that Tame Impala song “The Less I Know, The Better” for some reason. I guess the one song that kinda drags on a little bit is “Snail” simply because it seems like a clone of Billie Eilish, and I just like a little more personality in artists so they stand out better. The features here are also pretty good too! Grimes is a surprisingly great addition to “Sheesh,” Mallrat has great chemistry with BENEE on “Winter,” and there’s nothing plain about Lily Allen and Flo Milli’s appearances on “Plain.” The biggest shortcomings on Hey u x is the lyrics. Yes, she may not be old enough to drink yet, but the way she expresses her emotions are very VERY blunt, and I’d usually be fine with it depending on the style of music, but for the indie-pop route, I don’t think it meshes too well for me.
The potential is all there for BENEE, and I think, because of Hey u x, she’ll be able to shed the label of a ‘Tik Tok artist’ soon. While this is an indie album, there are good genre fusions for it to stand out in this sea of sad indie girls, and I’m quite excited about it. Because of Tik Tok and Joji, she has more of an audience. Now, her acclaim is here to take. While Hey u x is no masterpiece, it’s still a strong debut for a relatively new artist.
7/10
Stream Hey u x here
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
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