Benjamin Clementine — And I Have Been — Album Review
Alternative | Soul
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music
I must admit, I may not have even known about the Britain-born musician and composer Benjamin Clementine, if not for his appearance on the very peculiar Gorillaz track “Hallelujah Money”. The peculiarity of said rack largely came as a result of Clementine’s poetic lyrical approach, which in turn, made his bewitching sound easily recognisable.
That being said, Benjamin Clementine has been one on the agenda to do a review on. And while I might not have been eclectically ready for the likes of I Tell A Fly, the album released in the same year as the Gorillaz project Humanz, which the aforementioned “Hallelujah Money” features on, I felt that the time was ripe to review Benjamin’s following and latest album; And I Have Been.
I had the pleasure of visiting London while this album was still completely fresh. And I must say, I don’t think I could’ve chosen a better setting to listen to an album like And I Have Been, given the grandeur that encompasses the project.
Once again, Benjamin Clementine’s poetry and earthy vocals really command the attention of the listener. And this meant, that And I Have Been had me engrossed and engaged more than a good majority of albums released this year.
And given how well Benjamin was delivering the lyrics on the album, it intrigued me to find out more about what he was saying. The narrative of this album is pretty straightforward to understand, yet it is no less gripping. Many of the tracks on And I Have Been come from a place of pain, and focus on the artists complex heritage, the societal and psychological traps of modern-day life (displayed beautifully through the lyrics on “Genesis”), and striving to make a difference in the world.
Despite all of Benjamin’s merits as a singer and lyricist on the album, that is far from the only thing to rave about regarding And I Have Been. The mixture of subtle electronic elements and grandiose strings make a perfect musical match for Clementine’s gritty yet graceful vocals, and shine as a representation of Benjamin Clementine’s prowess as a composer.
I don’t want to rip too much from other album reviews too much, but I feel that The Guardian’s clincher of “painfully elegant” sums up this album exceptionally. It brings forth enough of the pain for us to sympathise with and understand Benjamin Clementine, whilst offering resolve as well through his ambition to make a difference (and of course the soaring strings).
I am incredibly impressed with this album, especially given that it is the first that Benjamin has released in over 5 years. On top of that, I am definitely pleased that I had dived into this project for a review, as I was left in pure awe by the grandeur of this musical piece.
In short, this album rings with a great sense of importance. And if I had learned anything from my near 5 years as a music reviewer, it is that those kinds of albums tend to stand the test of time.
Favourite Tracks: Residue | Delighted | Genesis | Lovelustreman | Recommence
Least Favourite Track: Last Movement Of Hope
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