It’s a new year and BROCKHAMPTON capped off 2017 with the final part of their SATURATION trilogy. So, what sets this one apart? What has changed? Well, for one the thing the music here is not as easily approachable as it was on 'SATURATION II'; the beats are denser and the songs feel looser in structure. A number of tracks feature beat switch ups or sudden changes in direction and even the ones that don’t are crammed with little details. This makes some of the tracks feel a little messy at first, but on repeat listens the music really comes together and the catchiness of the hooks sinks in. So it’s a little bit more of a grower than 'SATURATION II' but no less fun for it.

Whilst their music has become looser, BROCKHAMPTON's MCs have become tighter knit. There has been a slight reconfiguration of their group dynamic here; instead of having longer verses the mic is passed every few lines so that everyone gets just a few bars that dip and duck in and out of each other. As a result, the group feels like more of a cohesive unit than before. The spotlight is also shared more evenly than previously, giving some of the less visible members more time to shine, Joba and Matt Champion in particular. On 'SATURATION I' both of them felt quite marginal but they have come a long way and now feel just as vital as all the other members of the group. Joba previously acted mostly as a singer, occasionally stepping in with breezy but lyrically lightweight verses, but here he actually delivers some really hard-hitting bars about personal topics such as his anxiety or taking mood stabilisers. The downside of this is that the stars of the show get less screen time, but I suppose that is the point - there are no stars of the show, and the group feels more unified.

Indeed 'SATURATION III' feels in many ways like a culmination of everything BROCKHAMPTON was doing last year. As well as tightening their chemistry up they have honed in on and distilled their sound. 'BLEACH' is a good example of this; they have attempted a number of sensitive RnB tracks in this style before, but none felt as fully realised. The song’s shimmering production evokes a tranquil late-night vibe and its layering of voices is beautiful, particularly in its unexpected and cathartic climax. This isn’t the only moment on the album where the group hone in on their melodic instincts; 'HOTTIE' is probably their poppiest moment so far - the boyband tag feels more appropriate than ever when listening to this song. It places emphasis not on beats or bars but on bright, catchy hooks and features some lovely falsettoed verses from Joba. 'RENTAL' takes a similar approach, albeit less successfully.

The group also stretch out and try some new things on this record. Lead single and opening track 'BOOGIE' is a manic hip-house number that brings them further into club music territory than they have previously ventured. It’s also an absolute banger and one of their best songs to date - it bursts at the seams with frenzied energy. 'JOHNNY', meanwhile, is a very satisfying update of the old school jazz rap formula, applying Brockhampton’s dense production style to a context that is usually chilled out and sparse. On 'TEAM' they even dip their toes into shoegaze of all things.

The track 'SISTER / NATION' is one of the most out there things BROCKHAMPTON has attempted so far. Musically the song is a bit of a spiritual sequel to 'SATURATION III’s' 'JUNKY', except while that track was certainly trippy 'SISTER / NATION' takes things in a far more extreme and unsettling direction; conjuring the feeling of being caught in a thunderstorm on LSD. It’s one of those tracks that truly deserves to be described as a rollercoaster ride - constantly swerving in different directions, veering around through acidic bass, skittering rolls of drum and bass-inflected percussion and blistering crescendos of noise. Then, just when you’re starting to get comfortable, the track pulls the rug out from under your feet again by unexpectedly dropping into an ethereal, dream-like section. The black members of the group vent their spleens over the discrimination they face as young men of colour in modern day America over an otherworldly fog of synths, reverb and Merlyn Wood’s chants of “African power!” before finally fading away. Pretty stunning track this one, a real “what just happened?” moment that I knew I was going to have to dedicate a whole paragraph to because there’s a whole lot to say about it.

My verdict on 'SATURATION III' overall would be that it is yet another win in a year full of wins for BROCKHAMPTON. I wouldn’t say it’s as focused as 'SATURATION II', and it’s not quite as satisfying or consistent of an album as a result. However, 'SATURATION III' is still a strong effort in its own right that seeks to both consolidate the group’s 2017 winning streak and explore where they might go in the future. I would say it does both of these successfully, and that BROCKHAMPTON continues to be a fresh and exciting act with an impressive knack for both quality and quantity.