RENAISSANCE by Beyoncé Album Review
The highly anticipated Beyoncé album has released and it has single handedly exceeded all expectations. It has been compared to the elusive and critically acclaimed Lemonade. Lemonade being Beyoncé’s raw and heart felt cultural and personal triumph while RENAISSANCE is Beyonce’s out of the box luxurious album rich in dance beats, vocals, and clever lyrics.
RENAISSANCE is dance pop album featuring aspects of bounce and afro-beats. From start to finish it is cohesive album that seques smoothly (almost) all the way through. The album captures Beyoncé’s playful, confident, elegant, flirtatious, bold, and wild Sasha Fierce self.
I’M THAT GIRL is the intro that is quite the divergent song that utilizes trendy vernacular, heavy bass, afro-beat drums, sensual vocals, and confidence to boldly capture Beyoncé’s renaissance.
This transitions into the empowering COZY which includes more heavy afro-beat drums and confident affirmations regarding the strength of her “sis” and herself. A likely nod to the iconic and talented Solange, when Beyoncé sings “Might I suggest that you don’t fuck with my sis, because she comfortable.”
…ALIEN SUPERSTAR is a nostalgic club-like song. It features monologues, rapping, and singing. The song in itself is a performance using a range of vocal abilities to juxtapose and create a very sassy and diva inspired song.
CUFF IT feels like it captures Beyoncé’s traditional pop elements and vocals. It’s a fun upbeat dance flirtatious song that smoothly flows into ENERGY.
ENERGY has bold vocal performances by Bey and Beam and samples Kelis and Big Freedia. I feel this song really starts the mark of the bounce and afro-hall and beat influences and inspiration because we transition right into a House/Bounce track BREAK MY SOUL.
BREAK MY SOUL, the first released single, features Big Freedia the bounce queen’s layered and looped vocals with Beyonce’s catchy hook.
CHURCH GIRL seems to be one the most loved and talked about songs amongst the Hive. The lyrical storytelling captures the dichotomy of modern day woman and girls who have faced challenges, but can celebrate their identity, body, sexuality, and desires. I think CHURCH GIRL is one of the most elusive songs on the album because it addresses and challenges this paradoxical phenomenon and narrative for religious woman. It highlights that woman who are devoted to the church or faith can express their sexuality and desires.
PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA highlights Beyonce’s vibrato and vocal control with sensual and romantic lyrics. This transitions into VIRGO’S GROOVE the most instrumentally and vocally rich songs of the entire album. This song is literally oozing with funky instrumentals and sensual vocals and lyrics. It is Beyoncé’s most sexually empowered and layered and heated song. It is raw, passionate, and just so fun with such powerful grooves and energy.
MOVE featuring the iconic Grace Jones and talented Tems oozes with feminine power and afro-beats. It transitions from the tough and strong Grace Jones and Beyoncé vocals to the confident and smooth vocals of Tems and Beyoncé.
HEATED is a funky groovy Afro-beat and dance hall fun song. Vocally and lyrically it is rich in confidence, ability, and talent. It is probably one of the most catchy songs of the album because of its great hook along with CHURCH GIRL and BREAK MY SOUL. It concludes with Bey’s aggressive and fun rapping.
THIQUE is a song that really an ode to bounce and modern hip hop rap. The chorus features heavy bass and sensual lyrics. The song features a heavenly bridge where you can hear the major change in octaves for Bey’s vocals.
ALL UP IN YOUR MIND and AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM captures the blend of hip hop, bounce, and pop and a little bit of classic Beyoncé vocals.
PURE/HONEY is a major ode to Bounce and club music. It feels as if Big Freedia could have featured on the song that is how much of a Bounce track it feels. “PURE” is very much a bold runway song where as “HONEY” captures these traditional pop Beyoncé vocals and lyrics.
SUMMER RENAISSANCE samples Donna Summer’s dance track I Feel Love, while contrasting it with house and club beats with layered rich Bey vocals. It’s a fun track with rich and complex instrumentals and vocals.
QuestLove best said and highlighted how impactful and wonderfully produced this album is by calling it Beyonce’s “Off the Wall.” This album is impeccably produced and flows perfectly into each song while capturing an amazing sound through varied house, dance, bounce, and afro-beat instrumentals, trained vocals and rapping, and meaningful, but culturally and feminine powered lyrics.
It’s a solid 10/10 album.
