Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine
| Brockhampton
Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine
Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine (often abbreviated to Roadrunner and stylized in all caps) is the sixth studio album by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton. The album was released on April 9, 2021 through RCA and Question Everything, and received generally positive reviews from music critics. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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NME
Danny Brown, JPEGMAFIA and more all show up on the band’s sixth album, but it remains a record defined by the collective’s emotional heaviness.
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Far Out Magazine
I still don’t like Brockhampton all that much, but this album has moved me from a neutral dislike of the group to a purely neutral position. If that really was the collective’s last album, then it’s a high note the group can end on.
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Commedia
Generally, “Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine” is pretty good. People will find a song that they will be hooked to, playing on repeat. Nonetheless, it’s no “SATURATION” trilogy. Sometimes, BROCKHAMPTON’s music can be too much.
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Marist Circle
Brockhampton's sixth studio album ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE, exceeds expectations and delivers something that could be considered as a gift from “the light.” With profoundly personal and heavy lyrics and a mix of hard and soft vocals, their album is a perfect exploration of balancing the two. ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE is an album that by all means will give listeners a sense of frisson.
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Stanford Daily
This is one of the most enjoyable first listens that I have had in a while, and I am really impressed with what the group put together for their sixth album. I have little doubt that this album will hold as one of the top albums of the year.
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epigram
It certainly feels like Brockhampton have naturally progressed from their breakout 'Saturation' trilogy in 2017 and have developed a sound which is more mature and introspective.
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Sputnik Music
No matter how you feel about the music, it's hard to argue with a band who'll go through the worst and come out assuring all of us that "the light is worth the wait".
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The Independent
Brockhampton’s first of their two final albums suggests a band filled with uncertainty, while Flyte excel with a Seventies-inspired gem.
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Magnetic Magazine
ROADRUNNER may not be as conjoined thematically as some past work, but it still feels well-crafted and guided, even with the new outside collaborators.
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UNF Spinnaker
I absolutely loved this album. It was much more cohesive than their previous albums, and it was pointed. What the artists’ shared were vulnerable pieces of themselves, but that is what made this album so good. The subject matter was a bit heavy at some points but it was balanced out well with fun tracks in between. I’d recommend this album to anyone, as I feel it talks about important issues as well as has really vibe-y songs.
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Gigwise
A sensory overload that doesn't always feel in control.
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Loud and Quiet
BROCKHAMPTON’s sound is all over the place on ‘ROADRUNNER’, and whilst they do frequently sound far more mature than on previous efforts, they hop genres with real zeal. Come for the Herculean zing of ‘BUZZCUT’, and stay for what might be BROCKHAMPTON’s best album to date.
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Vinyl Chapters
Despite its flaws, it is hard to be overly negative about an album that emphasises how “The light is worth the wait, I promise” and frankly discusses homophobia and police brutality (The Light PT. II). While this album is mostly excellent, these occasions of intensity let down the overall tone, leaving a sour after taste
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Ratings Game Music
Personally, I think they are the perfect complement to the mushy hooks and occassional gentle beats that you hear on the album.
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Stereoboard
Ten years is a good innings for a boy band, so good on ‘em, but ‘Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine’ is not as good as it should be, and might even suggest the limitations of running a musical troupe this way. It will be intriguing to see what the final Brockhampton album delivers. Hopefully it’s a banger.
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DIY Magazine
An album which finds a band who’ve been through a lot finding their stride and searching for joy from within the bleak, ‘Roadrunner…’ sees Brockhampton silencing any of those who feared they might have lost their spark. It’s a record that - if it is truly one of their last - sees the lads going out with a bang.
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AllMusic
Roadrunner serves as a masterful group therapy session, picking up the broken pieces of life and uplifting with cautious optimism.
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Platform Magazine
While the overall project didn’t win me over as much as certain tracks within it did, ROADRUNNER is at least a solid piece of evidence that Brockhampton, as a collective, have rediscovered their groove. The boys are back, and they finally sound famous.
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Daily Bruin
Despite being an album full of musical inconsistencies, “ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE” maintains similar lyrical themes. Difficult topics including the aftermath of COVID-19 and the personal struggles of the group members act as an invisible string holding the album together. But unfortunately, the numerous unnecessary collaborators and repetitive content aren’t enough to render this album flawless.
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The Ithacan
Though there were a few tracks that the album could have done without, it is safe to say that Brockhampton successfully made a beautiful and unique album, giving listeners a lot to look forward to in anticipation of the release of its next album.
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Medium
In my opinion, the light was indeed worth the wait. I highly encourage anyone reading this to give it a listen. Just go for a walk, drive, bike ride, or even just lay in your room, and listen.
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The Rice Thresher
“ROADRUNNER” expertly fuses two distinct genres to create an open and unified whole that is equally personal and universal, uplifting and cathartic.
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The Tower
BROCKHAMPTON is certainly not for everyone, but the stories that the group provides through each and every album, especially ROADRUNNER, are worthy of respect. The band provides for everyone. Whether you prefer rap, pop, hip-hop, or indie, BROCKHAMPTON will have more than one song for any listener to love. Everything is thought out thoroughly with this group. They are authentic, creative, and unlike any other boyband in the rap game.
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Pitchfork
The hip-hop collective’s sixth album refocuses on melody and economy, resulting in the group’s most focused and impressive record yet.
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The Rolling Stone
The frenetic 13-member hip-hop group mellows out on their most cohesive project yet.
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The Daily Californian
‘Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine’ is mature, middling final stretch for Brockhampton.
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The Whit Online
BROCKHAMPTON’s Long-Awaited “ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE” Doesn’t Disappoint.
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Lazy Music Guru
I was surprised with this album since I definitely fell of the BROCKHAMPTON bandwagon after GINGER. I'm glad that they're making music that they're happy with and to see the different styles and features on here.
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