Beyoncé has accomplished a feat that very few musicians have –– remaining at the top of the totem pole for consecutive decades. Dating back to her days with Destiny’s Child in the late 90s, the Queen Bee has captivated her audience with anthemic pop songs and notions of empowerment. Seemingly all of her releases in the past two and a half decades have instantly topped the charts, so with each album release, the pressure only increases to create a memorable and unique product. And of course, she delivered in grand fashion.
“RENAISSANCE” finds Beyoncé drifting off and experimenting with new genres, particularly disco and house. In the opener “I’M THAT GIRL,” she introduces this new era perfectly. The entire track encapsulates what is to come in this album with Beyoncé’s classic gritty, to-the-point vocal delivery paired with buoyant drum beats and a subtle, monotone synth. It is simultaneously an epic power statement while being subdued enough sonically to let you know that the best is yet to come.
“COZY” provides that clarity immediately, containing self-empowering lyrics such as “I’m swaggy, effortlessly / It’s how God made me” and “Comfortable in my skin / Cozy with who I am.” The song is topped off with — yet again — energetic drum beats and a polyrhythmic percussion section, which makes this the perfect sing-along, hype-up song either with your friends or by yourself. RENAISSANCE is full of songs with this makeup, such as “ALIEN SUPERSTAR,” “CUFF IT,” “BREAK MY SOUL” and “PURE/HONEY” just to name a few.
But the album does not pack a one-two punch as impactful as “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA” and “VIRGO’S GROOVE.”
These two songs show Beyoncé at her romantic, sensual peak. “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA” is coated in an incredibly addictive bass line, but Beyoncé’s lyrics and vocals steal the show. Lines like “Boy, I love that you can’t help but be yourself around me” and “It’s the way you want one more kiss after you said you were leaving” are made even more heart-melting by Beyoncé’s gentle falsetto. She even adds some humor to this otherwise blatant love song: “I think you’re so cool / Even though I’m cooler than you.”
“VIRGO’S GROOVE” is another love song, but its formula is vastly different from its predecessor. It’s thickly layered in another catchy bass line, repetitive synth melody and pulsating drum beats that draw you in instantly. The call-and-response she does with herself in the extended chorus tickles my brain unlike any song has done to me in years. After listing off different ways she wants her lover to show their love to her, she gently says “You’re the love of my life / Baby, you’re the love of my life.” This track’s six-minute run time both feels like an eternity and that it went by in a flash.
I found 2022 to be a fantastic year for music. There were dozens of albums that came out last year that I really loved, “RENAISSANCE” being one of them. However, I’ve found that the vast majority of those albums have entirely fallen out of my consistent rotation. That is not the case for “RENAISSANCE.” With a discography full of magnum opuses, it felt nearly impossible for Beyoncé to create another album that holds its own in comparison to her others. It is safe to say that she exceeded those expectations. While fearlessly exploring new sounds, Beyoncé maintains her trademark charisma and songwriting prowess with ease.
A year has gone by and “RENAISSANCE” has already aged better than any other album released in 2022. I have the utmost confidence that it will continue to age better and better as the years go on.
