Beck Displays Experimental Genius on New Album "Hyperspace"

It’s finally here. Beck’s much anticipated new album Hyperspace made its debut today, giving eager fans a chance to finally listen to the entire record.

The album, which was announced back in the Spring, is a follow up to Beck’s critically acclaimed 2017 release Colors, which subsequently took home two Grammys. However, the only thing that really connect Beck’s two most recent records is, well, Beck.

Not surprisingly, Hyperspace has showcased an entirely different side of the singer/songwriter as compared to his more recent content. Often referred to as one of the more fluid artists of our time, Beck takes from a variety of genres like lo-fi, rock, folk, alternative and hip-hop to create his typically unpredictable sound. But I guess that’s what also makes him predictable in a way—you simply can’t classify Beck.

Beck Tweets About 'Hyperspace' Release 11/22/19

So what does this new record entail? Well, collaborating with the great music producer Pharrell for the first time in his career has sure resulted in a distinct sound. Taking inspiration from the 1980s, Beck and Pharrell have created an experimental album that transcends the listener into a cosmic daze full of synths, distortion and an occasional acoustic guitar.

As a preparation for the rest of the album, Beck immediately enters a parallel universe with the intro track “Hyperlife.” Making use of intense reverb and few vocals, the alternative genius dives head first into an empirical realm that somehow establishes simplicity intertwined with a seemingly complicated concept. And while that may seem contradictory, Beck is one of the only artists that can pull it off.

Beck's "Hyperlife"

Well into the right mindset after a single track, the album continues with the previously released “Uneventful Days.” While it's led by a variety of synth sounds, the second track most closely resembles the sound of Colors, taking inspiration from more modern hip-hop and pop beats. With a lot of distortion to come, this track also stands out in regard to Beck’s pronounced vocals and lyrical style.

Speaking of distorted vocals, the next track and previously released first single “Saw Lightning,” is a bit more grounded in Beck’s roots. Featuring a heavy acoustic guitar and frequent vocal distortion, the song presents a grungier sound parallel to Beck’s first major studio album Mellow Gold (1994).

Beck's "Saw Lightning"

Following the more typical Beck staple is “Die Waiting,” which serves as a perfect transitionary song featuring another acoustic guitar riff and vocal reverb. A bit more upbeat than its predecessors, the contemporary-sounding fourth track is a crafty blend of the album’s vintage impression and Beck’s more recent mainstream effort backed by singer Sky Ferreira.

As a general reminder of the collection’s extra terrestrial quality, Beck dives into the fifth track “Chemical” with an overloaded synth background that would deem the song worthy of a Stranger Things soundtrack, minus the acoustic guitar. Sticking to that celestial feel, the album heads into “See Through,” a hip-hop inspired tune that features hard beats and a muffled synth background which miraculously compliments Beck's purposefully auto-tuned vocals.

Calling back the intro track, Beck replicates the opening of “Hyperlife” with that of the seventh and title track, “Hyperspace,” using a heavier synth lead and a louder drum backup. Featuring musician and rapper Terrell Hines, the song highlights Beck’s roots as both Hines and Beck drop a few rap vocals towards the end of the arrangement.

Beck's "Hyperspace"

Following the title track is the electric and acoustic guitar-driven tune “Stratosphere.” As the title suggests, Beck reverts back to the album’s core cosmic feel with forceful reverb. While the lyrics are a bit drowned out by the vocal echo, the song, and quite frankly the album itself, appear to be narratively driven by the instrumental composition over the lyrical.

As if the listener forgot about the 1980s influence, the ninth track “Dark Places,” immediately opens with an instrumental reminiscent of a Pac-Man arcade game. Playing with the darker theme of the title, the song couples a few prominent minor chords with a somewhat upbeat guitar backing that ends with a flawless transition into the second-to-last song of the album, “Star.”

Motivated once again by crafted hip-hop beats, “Star” features the simplest instrumental of the entire album, thus emphasizing Beck’s wider vocal range during one of the few songs that doesn’t heavily tinker with his voice.

Beck's "Star"

While the experimental nature of the album allows for compositional room and distinction between songs, the final track of the record is the clear outlier of the eleven-song pack. Entitled “Everlasting Nothing,” the melody is heavily led by an acoustic guitar and a minimalist beat. In my opinion the most notable track on the entire album, the final tune perfectly highlights Beck’s flawless vocals, something that seems to be missing for much of the record. It’s as if the lack of clear vocals all culminated into a crowning finale that reminds us all exactly what Beck is capable of.

Beck's "Everlasting Nothing"

Although similar to the experimental nature of Mellow Gold (1994), Guero (2005) and Morning Phase (2014), Beck’s fifteenth studio-album, Hyperspace, takes on a much more simplistic quality as compared to Beck’s past content. And that’s exactly where the brilliance lies in this piece. Combining a 1980s influence with a more modern twist, Beck and collaborator Pharrell composed an album that grants Beck yet another hat in his already complex genius that will likely lead him to an eighteenth Grammy nomination.

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Last updated: 28 Mar 2024, 10:26 Etc/UTC