Who Am I (Berwyn album)
Who Am I | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 12 July 2024 | |||
Length | 33:52 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Berwyn | |||
Berwyn chronology | ||||
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Singles from Who Am I | ||||
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Who Am I is the debut studio album by Trinidad-born, London-based musician Berwyn, released on 12 July 2024 through Columbia Records. It received positive reviews from critics.
Release
[edit]On 8 April 2024, Fred Again released the track "BerwynGesaffNeighbours" featuring Gesaffelstein and Berwyn.[1][2] Berwyn released an alternate version of the track titled "Neighbors" on 26 April 2024.[3] On 14 May 2024, he released the single "I Am Black."[4][5][6] On 11 June 2024, Berwyn announced the album's track list and release date, alongside the third single, "Dear Immigration."[7][8]
Critical reception
[edit]Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 95/100[9] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
DIY | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MusicOMH | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Observer | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Skinny | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Who Am I was met with critical acclaim upon release, receiving a score of 95 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic.[9]
Ed Lawson of DIY described it as a "record that's as skilled in pop immediacy as it is emotional expression; a lyrical gaze that looks as deeply inside as out" and Berwyn "an artist who, on this debut album, can seemingly do just about anything".[10] Ben Devlin of MusicOMH characterised Who Am I as "a relatively brief selection of tracks [that] contains a lot of autobiographical heft, as he works through topics of race, insecurity and excess over surprisingly versatile production".[11] The Observer's Damien Morris wrote that it "cuts a prickly path between the experimental rawness of Mercury-nominated mixtape Demotape/Vega and its excellent sequel Tape 2/Fomalhaut's smoother entreaties" as well as remarking that "the ferocity of Berwyn's talent and the piercing beauty of his crackling, folk-R&B croon mean these heavy topics are never a burden".[12] Reviewing the album for The Skinny, Rhys Morgan called it "declarative" as "the candid expression of his previous work remains, now finessed into a towering major label debut".[13]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks written and produced by Berwyn Du Bois unless listed.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Bad Thing" | 2:04 | ||
2. | "Who Am I" |
| 2:48 | |
3. | "I Am Black" | 3:38 | ||
4. | "All She Ever Wanted" |
| 2:06 | |
5. | "Hate" |
|
| 3:19 |
6. | "Dear Immigration" | 2:38 | ||
7. | "Neighbours" |
| Fred again.. | 3:06 |
8. | "Meet Me by the River" | 1:38 | ||
9. | "I'm Drowning" | 3:35 | ||
10. | "Love Is Blind" |
| 2:50 | |
11. | "Without You" | 1:37 | ||
12. | "Mama" |
|
| 4:33 |
Total length: | 33:52 |
References
[edit]- ^ Heffler, Jason (10 April 2024). "Fred again.. Reworks Gesaffelstein Classic in Haunting New Single: Listen". EDM.com. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Rossignol, Derrick (15 April 2024). "All The Best New Music From This Week That You Need To Hear". UPROXX. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Wescott, Andrew (28 April 2024). "BERWYN releases new single 'Neighbours'". Dork. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Murray, Robin (15 May 2024). "Berwyn Shares Powerful Single 'I Am Black' | News". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (16 May 2024). "Listen to BERWYN's unapologetic new single 'I AM BLACK'". NME. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Berwyn unveils new single, "I AM BLACK"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ DAILY, GRM (11 June 2024). "BERWYN announces debut album with "DEAR IMMIGRATION"". GRM Daily. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Strauss, Matthew (11 June 2024). "Berwyn Announces Debut Album, Shares New "Dear Immigration" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Who Am I by Berwyn Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b Lawson, Ed (15 July 2024). "Berwyn – Who Am I review". DIY. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b Devlin, Ben (15 July 2024). "Berwyn – Who I Am | Album Reviews". MusicOMH. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b Morris, Damien (12 July 2024). "Berwyn: Who I Am review – should be on the national curriculum". The Observer. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b Morgan, Rhys (9 July 2024). "Berwyn – Who Am I album review". The Skinny. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
External links
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- "BERWYN: Personal Statement" (DIY, 2024).
- "‘Theresa May made the whole country rally against migrants’: UK rapper Berwyn on poverty, perseverance and hostile politics" (The Guardian, 2024).
- "Love supreme: Berwyn speaks his truth" (NME, 2024)
- "How BERWYN tackled the state of Britain and personal pain on his remarkable debut album" (Rolling Stone UK, 2024).