Renaissance: A (very) belated review to Beyoncé’s hit album
I have never listened to a Beyoncé album from start to finish. It’s criminal, I know. I will scream and run to the dancefloor when Single Ladies and complain when the noughties club night fails to play Crazy In Love, but somehow a lot of Beyoncé’s discography has passed me by.
I say somehow, but I know exactly how this has happened. I would like to think that I have a rather diverse music taste, but I am afraid that is simply not true. The bulk of my playlists are unapologetically made up of horribly pretentious indie and britpop tunes stolen from my dad, while my mum has instilled in me a love for Buena Vista Social Club that tends to emerge as I am cooking up a storm (or making a mess) in the kitchen. It wasn’t until my radio show covered the Grammys that I realised I had very little idea of what was going on in the mainstream music world (shameful for a radio host, I know). So where does this leave us? Well, on top of being the catalyst for me buying more tickets to see The Libertines than my mum would deem normal, my Dad imparted his wisdom on me in the form of a metaphor involving Britney Spears. While stressing the importance of not limiting yourself to certain genres, he likes to remind me of his love for one of his favourite pop songs, Toxic. With this in mind, when my girlfriend (the number one Beyoncé fan) recommended that I listen to Renaissance, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to widen my scope of musical interest, listen to something different, and document my thoughts. And so, here they are.
Renaissance starts out well with I’M THAT GIRL, a slower song accompanied by a strong beat throughout that reassures you that the album that will follow is going to pack a punch. COZY picks up the pace with lyrics of self-love and confidence and makes you wish you were on the dancefloor. In ALIEN SUPERSTAR, Beyoncé reminds us that “[she is] the only one” before the chorus softens into a mantra of self-confidence that vaguely resembles Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy. CUFF IT is an instant dance hit and a highlight of the album; the use of backup vocals creates depth and a feeling that the song is coming at you from every direction. Another obvious highlight is the iconic BREAK MY SOUL, which transitions seamlessly from ENERGY (feat. Beam) with the help of an incredibly well utilised vocal sample of Big Freedia’s Explode. The passion in Beyoncé’s voice is infectious – there is a reason that BREAK MY SOUL is a staple on dancefloors worldwide. The pace slows with CHURCH GIRL, a track with a distinctive sound thanks to the combination of elements of hip-hop and gospel. The album takes a groovy turn with VIRGO’S GROOVE, a sensual disco-funk track that for me was the sleeper hit of the album. Throughout Renaissance Beyoncé demonstrates her unwillingness to be constrained by genre, and MOVE (feat. Grace Jones & Tems) continues to exemplify this as afrobeats meets funk. Just as the album draws to an end, we are kept on our toes by PURE/HONEY, a unique two part song that begins as an ode to black ballroom culture before transitioning into a feel good disco song. We finish out with SUMMER RENAISSANCE (featuring samples of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love), which encapsulates the feel of the entire album: a celebration of black, queer culture, of the artists of the past, and of ourselves.
Overall, Renaissance oozes joy and celebration from start to finish. It is beautifully produced, with the masterful use of sampling creating a unique sound and paying respects to the black and queer artists who laid the groundwork for the music that we know and love today.
I truly enjoyed the time that I spent with this album. Can I say that my music taste has been miraculously diversified? Most definitely not, I have a lot more work to do than listening to an hour of Beyoncé. However, I would like to view this as the start of a journey for me, one where I will broaden my horizons and explore genres and artists that I have little to no knowledge of. And all because my girlfriend wanted me to listen to Renaissance.