That Beck should choose to magpie from pop’s zeitgeist is no shocker - nor, of course, is it that he’s done it so well - but that ‘Hyperspace’ is quite so seamless in its execution is an utter joy.
Beck takes on a new cosmic identity with aplomb, roping in Pharrell to achieve pop minimalism that proves there's no sound he can't excel at.
Mixing just enough of the familiar and the unexpected, defying expectations of a Pharrell collaboration, Hyperspace manages to stand out among Beck’s diverse and tenured discography.
It's a beautifully understated album with subtleties that reveal themselves on repeat listens.
It is a Beck album that’s distinguished from the ones that came before it, and at every turn it evinces a singer, songwriter, and record-maker who’s unerring in his craft.
Beck never lingers upon either his melancholy or his celestial flights of fantasy: they exist simultaneously, resulting in a tremulous and pretty soundtrack for moments of fleeting introspection.
Although Hyperspace can be dull at certain moments, Beck has discovered a new songwriting style that’s conducive to his adventurous tendencies.
Beck's postmodern plea, like the music itself, isn't compelling, as though he couldn't care whether you listen to him or not. Instead, he shrugs and floats on, searching for a new place to land.
The whole album, with its dabbling through styles makes it sound like walking through a mid-market clothes shop on a Saturday afternoon. It’s just about enough to keep you browsing, but never enough to inspire.
While these are enjoyable enough tracks to soundtrack your day, there’s little of the lasting emotion or progression for which we know Beck.
Worst of all, the element of surprise within past glories, and his joyful surrender to incoherence, has long waned into mediocrity that’s much too keen to please.
HyperspazzzZZZZZZZZZZZzzz
It's rather sad to think that with this new album, we can say that "Colors" is no longer Beck's worst album.
It seems that since his victory at the Grammy Awards with "Morning Phase", Beck want to look for a new audience by going to a more pop sound. So two years ago, he tried the test and failed by releasing a very conventional, too smooth and cheesy album that still had some nice songs here and there. But here it is, our friend Beck has to win a ... read more
Beck released his most boring and lifeless album since he was an independent artist (most specifically I’m talking bout Golden Feelings in the 90s, his worst album). Hyperspace sounds like a parody of beck discography and not beck himself here, a lot of airy synths and generic beats that makes the experience even more lazy and dull, the songs sounds like the same song on repeat. from someone that released one of the best breakup albums of this millennium... this breakup album is pale and ... read more
Good News is that we aren't getting overly-pissed-produced radio pop like on colors, instead we are getting skeletal bland electropop. I hope Beck gets better with his next project but the hope is a bit lost for now.
1 | Hyperlife 1:37 | 63 |
2 | Uneventful Days 3:17 | 62 |
3 | Saw Lightning 4:01 | 59 |
4 | Die Waiting 4:04 with Sky Ferreira | 70 |
5 | Chemical 4:18 | 76 |
6 | See Through 3:38 | 62 |
7 | Hyperspace 2:45 with Terrell Hines | 56 |
8 | Stratosphere 3:57 | 69 |
9 | Dark Places 3:45 | 62 |
10 | Star 2:50 | 63 |
11 | Everlasting Nothing 4:59 | 60 |
#7 | / | Good Morning America |
#11 | / | Rough Trade |
#20 | / | OOR |
#27 | / | Albumism |
#39 | / | Rolling Stone |
#65 | / | MOJO |