BEYONCÈ “RENAISSANCE” ALBUM REVIEW

The long-awaited sequel to Lemonade by Beyoncé is finally here, and listeners are in for a treat. The first part—or act, rather—of Bey’s enigmatic three-part project, RENAISSANCE, pays homage to some of the most vibrant Black music movements, from the ’90s Hip-Hop to the ’70s disco, and mixes them into a catchy dance tune.

The Houston-born superstar’s seventh studio album is one of her most experimental works to date as she embraces her MC confidence that she shown on 2018’s EVERYTHING IS LOVE while exploring vivid new sounds.

RENAISSANCE is Beyoncé’s longest solo album since the release of her self-titled epic in 2013 with a total of 16 songs and a huge runtime of one hour and two and a half minutes, so there’s obviously a lot to unpack.bThankfully, the epic album opener “I’M THAT GIRL,” which was created by Beyoncé, Kelman Duran, Mike Dean, Stuart White, Jameil Aossey, and S1, sets the tone and provides fans with a clear indication of what to expect for the remainder of the Bey’s expansive new album.

“I’M THAT GIRL” turns an obscure Memphis Hip-Hop sample into a rhythmic tribute to self-assurance, beginning with an electric chop of Princess Loko’s verse from Tommy Wright III’s 1993 track “Still Pimpin.” On her seventh studio album, Beyoncé is definitely bringing the excitement when the song’s second half picks up.

In fact, the first section between “I’M That Girl” and “Church Girl” is brimming with positive energy. Those seven amiable and energetic songs are what make RENAISSANCE so energizing and pleasurable, with the exception of a few hidden treasures in the later half of the CD. The sweet and soothing “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA” provides listeners with their first, and possibly only, break midway through the album. Following that, “VIRGO’S GROOVE” rekindles RENAISSANCE’s high level of energy and keeps it going all the way to the record’s conclusion.

Beyoncé characterized her album as “a place to scream, release, feel freedom” and “help release the wiggle” before it was released. RENAISSANCE keeps its promise to encourage listeners to walk around and feel wonderful. From the repeated “UNIQUE!” scream on the criminally entertaining “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” and the funky splendor of “CUFF IT” to the spirited and instantly classic rap verse on the outro of “HEATED” and the nostalgic Donna Summer-sampling “SUMMER RENAISSANCE,” RENAISSANCE shows itself to be a reliable source of catharsis.

However, the songwriting on the entire album is still rather amazing, as evidenced by the intricate mention to the PRIDE flag colors on the song “COZY” and the heartfelt lyrics on the song “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA.” RENAISSANCE is a straightforward album to love because of all of those aforementioned highlights, but sadly the listening experience is hampered by the album’s length, repetition, and average songs.

A full hour of upbeat music is undoubtedly difficult to pull together. No song on Beyoncé’s seventh album is terrible, but there are a few that may have been cut from the final product, such as the depressing “THIQUE” and the stark first half of “PURE/HONEY,” which were produced by Beyoncé, Hit-Boy, Lil’JuMadeDaBeat, and Stuart White.

It seems as though the album simply latched into one, peppy groove and chose not to let up, even within the songs that make up the album’s obviously great opening stretch. The constant entertainment might easily get old if there isn’t much change in the energy and speed. As a result, RENAISSANCE is a record that is simple to leave or skip through, especially during the last five songs of the album. Beyoncé’s seventh studio album is unquestionably a strong collection of work, both for the overall high grade of music and its dedication to Black pioneers and unsung originators, despite its top-heavy character.

RENAISSANCE demonstrates how varied and enduring Black music is with its extensive roster of sampled Black artists, which includes Chic, Kilo Ali, The Clark Sisters, and Big Freedia among many others. It also shines a focus on Black LGBT and ballroom culture. You have to respect that, even if it is a little spottier than one might anticipate from a Beyoncé album.