Beyoncé - RENAISSANCE ALBUM REVIEW

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I see where Drake got his inspiration.


Do I need an intro? I feel like I should for the sake of covering Beyoncé for the first time on the site, so I’ll be quick. Beyoncé has essentially built this cult-like fanbase over the years, especially within the past decade with the one-two punch of her self-titled release from 2013 and her last official studio album, 2016’s Lemonade, an event within itself that’s cemented its place in pop culture history. Now, after a semi-productive six years that included an entire album with her husband Jay-Z, starring in and soundtracking the new version of The Lion King, and a film on Disney+, we now have RENAISSANCE, the first release in a trilogy of new projects that will reflect on her mental health during the COVID pandemic. How does RENAISSANCE sound? Let’s get into it.

There’s an inevitable comparison to come, so I’m just gonna get it out of the way right now. Earlier this summer, Drake surprise-dropped HONESTLY, NEVERMIND, an R&B album inspired by house and techno music. RENAISSANCE is more of a melting pot of genres like pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and rap, but this is also inspired by house music. Oddly enough, Drake himself is credited as a writer on one of the songs on this, so it’s easy to see where he got the idea. I may be in the minority on how I feel about the Drake project, but it’s no question that I enjoyed RENAISSANCE more. Simply put, it has the energy of a perfectly curated DJ set, which helps with the seamless transitions between every song. Most of the lyrics have to do with escapism, freedom, and a *lot* of sex. What the icing on the cake is, though, is that this is catchy as hell. I even think some songs on here like “VIRGO’S GROOVE” and “PURE/HONEY” are some of the best songs of her career. The production also sounds fantastic, fitting the expensive lifestyle that Beyoncé lives up to. Overall, RENAISSANCE is a great comeback for Queen Bey. Beyoncé served, as the kids say.


9/10


Listen here

YouTube Music




RENAISSANCE is a Columbia Records / Parkwood release.

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