"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
ReleasedDecember 15, 2017
RecordedAugust–November 2017
Genre
Length4:33
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Romil Hemnani
  • Jabari Manwa

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 edit

The 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]

WatchMojo ranked "Bleach" as the band's fourth best song.[8] Live365 ranked it as their third best song.[9] Variety placed "Bleach" at number six on their list of Brockhampton's 15 best songs.[10]

Charts edit

Chart (2017) Peak
position
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[11] 8

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[12] Gold 500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ Purdom, Clayton (December 22, 2017). "Here are the new albums you should know about this week". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Smith, Trevor (December 16, 2017). "Brockhampton's "BLEACH" Is Dreamy R&B Bliss". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Brockhampton - SATURATION III (album review 2)". Sputnikmusic. December 15, 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b Lyons, Patrick (December 21, 2017). "Brockhampton's "SATURATION III" Review". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  5. ^ Irwin, Veronica (December 20, 2017). "Saturation III". The Quietus. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  6. ^ Blackwell, Marcus (December 20, 2017). "Review: Brockhampton's "Saturation III" Is Their Strongest Project Yet". HipHopDX. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  7. ^ Rosebury, Will (December 22, 2017). "Brockhampton – Saturation III". Clash. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  8. ^ "Top 10 Brockhampton Songs". WatchMojo. July 19, 2018. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  9. ^ Milewski, Kathryn (January 19, 2022). "Top 10 Brockhampton Songs". Live365. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. December 25, 2017. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  12. ^ "American single certifications – Brockhampton – Bleach". Recording Industry Association of America.