In Jan. 2022, California-based hip-hop collective BROCKHAMPTON announced an “indefinite hiatus” beginning after their Coachella performance in April of the same year, or, in other words, an end to the group.

On Nov. 17 and 18, 2022, the group seemed to have been indecisive about their indefinite hiatus after releasing albums TM and The Family.

The Family:

“Take It Back” – This album opened in the best way possible. Even though the end of BROCKHAMPTON is supposed to be bittersweet, the opening track is nothing like that. Sampling and chopping up the soul-like early Kanye, the track speaks about how the end of BROCKHAMPTON is not necessarily the end, but a new chapter in the members’ lives.

“Gold Teeth” – Even though this track is by far the weakest link on the album, it is still extremely well made. The song is very brief compared to the rest of the album, but crucial in the sense that it addresses all of the rumors around the group.

“All That” – “All That” is by far one of the best tracks on the album. The production fits with the flow of the singers like a puzzle piece. The song is also a fan favorite, as one of the most streamed songs on the album so far.

“Basement” – Even with the dark undertone of this song, it still keeps the audience entertained. The instrumental contains booming 808s and drums that grip your attention almost instantly.

“37th” – This song is, so far, my personal favorite. The song recites memories from the members’ experiences on “37th street.” The singer’s voice contains a painful nostalgic tone that rings throughout the whole track, lingering even after the track ends.

“Any Way You Want Me” – This song turns in an entirely different direction than the rest of the album. “Any Way You Want Me” is a low-tempo indie ballad about one of the member’s on-and-off relationships. The lyrics aren’t anything special, but the song clearly means a lot to the collective.

“The Family” – Even though this album is supposed to be about the bittersweet ending of the group, this song is ironically about how the group hates each other. The song is also extremely well-made, showing the passion thrown into a song about the dislikes of the group.

“My American Life” – “My American Life” shows how the group is slowly losing sanity as the album goes on, with more scream-like lyrics and unhinged guitar chords.

“The Ending” – This song is a perfect example of how the ending of the album was supposed to go: a happy and healthy ending for the group. Instead, the song contains lyrics about the end of the group, but in an open and vulnerable way.

TM:

“FMG” – Contradictory to The Family, this song makes it seem like the album is just a bunch of extra songs that the group had to release rather than a consecutive album, and “FMG” is a perfect example of that.

“ANIMAL” – “ANIMAL” is by far the best song on the album, and I’m so happy it’s the second song on the project. The hook of the song literally defines why it’s called a hook. The instrumental on the song is almost perfect as well, with the most simple notes, but still working out in the best way possible.

“NEW SHOES” – Like “FMG,” this song just seems like an extra in BROCKHAMPTON’s vault of songs.

“KEEP IT SOUTHERN” – Unlike “NEW SHOES” and “FMG,” this song is one of the best on the album. The piano chords that ring throughout the song make it impossible to not restart over and over until you get sick of it.

“MAN ON THE MOON” – This song is where the album starts to get better. The production of the track is unparalleled to the rest of the album.

“CRUCIFY ME” – This song is on par with “ANIMAL” in terms of rankings on my list. The song has jazz-like drums and piano playing combined with BROCKHAMPTON’s trademark infectious flows. This song is also perfect for the time of year that it came out, possibly adding to the emotional bias of this song.

“DUCT TAPE” – “DUCT TAPE” is another song that adds to the greatness of this album. This song truly feels like the ending of something special that I was sadly not able to be a part of, but just hearing this album, and this track, is enough.

“GOODBYE” – This song feels like the ending to a corny coming-of-age movie in the best way possible. This track is almost the perfect song to end on, not necessarily being the loudest thing on the planet, but rather the most emotional, at least for the group.

All in all, the end of BROCKHAMPTON was one of the most confusing and bittersweet things in music, but it was all worth it. Looking back throughout their individual and collective careers, it makes perfect sense that it ended off on this note.