"Bleach" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton from their third studio album Saturation III (2017).
| "Bleach" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Brockhampton | |
| from the album Saturation III | |
| Released | December 15, 2017 |
| Recorded | August–November 2017 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:33 |
| Label |
|
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) |
|
Composition and lyrics
edit"Bleach" has been described as an "abstract R&B power ballad with an aching, heartsick climax".[1] The production features a "woozy synth line" of G-funk-esque style, over which Matt Champion and Merlyn Wood perform their verses, before the beat switches to R&B style in the climax. The chorus is performed by Ryan Beatty.[2] The bridge of the song sees a palm muted guitar riff, over which Joba provides "silky" falsetto vocals.[3] The outro is performed by Bearface.[4]
Critical reception
editThe song was well received by music critics. Trevor Smith of HotNewHipHop remarked it "showcases the strong R&B sensibilities of the group".[2] Veronica Irwin of The Quietus wrote "'Bleach' in particular, with it's [sic] fading, flattening instrumental is stunning, and Beaty's hook, despite all its vagueness about 'the feeling,' has a chest-driven delivery that's absolutely heart wrenching."[5] Marcus Blackwell of HipHopDX considered it one of the songs from Saturation III that "effectively highlight a recurring major strength for the collective: relatability."[6] HotNewHipHop's Patrick Lyons commented the closing minute of the song "feels effortless in contrast with about half of III that feels more calculated than anything from Brockhampton's past."[4] Clash's Will Rosebury cited it as among the tracks that "allow each member to express themselves more candidly, without verging on the over-sentimentality of tracks from the first two records."[7]
Live365 ranked it as their third best song.[8] Variety placed "Bleach" at number six on their list of Brockhampton's 15 best songs.[9]
Charts
edit| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[10] | 8 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[11] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Purdom, Clayton (December 22, 2017). "Here are the new albums you should know about this week". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
- ^ a b Smith, Trevor (December 16, 2017). "Brockhampton's "BLEACH" Is Dreamy R&B Bliss". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "Brockhampton - SATURATION III (album review 2)". Sputnikmusic. December 15, 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ a b Lyons, Patrick (December 21, 2017). "Brockhampton's "SATURATION III" Review". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
- ^ Irwin, Veronica (December 20, 2017). "Saturation III". The Quietus. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Blackwell, Marcus (December 20, 2017). "Review: Brockhampton's "Saturation III" Is Their Strongest Project Yet". HipHopDX. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Rosebury, Will (December 22, 2017). "Brockhampton – Saturation III". Clash. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Milewski, Kathryn (January 19, 2022). "Top 10 Brockhampton Songs". Live365. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan; Shafer, Ellise; Shanfeld, Ethan (November 18, 2022). "Goodbye, Brockhampton: The Hip-Hop Boy Band's 15 Best Songs, Ranked". Variety. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. December 25, 2017. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "American single certifications – Brockhampton – Bleach". Recording Industry Association of America.