Albums to watch

Hyperspace

Beck

Hyperspace

Album number fourteen from the art pop singer-songwriter co-produced by Pharrell Williams and featuring contributions from Sky Ferreira, Terrell Hines, Greg Kurstin and Chris Martin

ADM rating[?]

6.8

Label
EMI
UK Release date
22/11/2019
US Release date
22/11/2019
  1. 9.0 |   DIY

    That ‘Hyperspace’ is quite so seamless in its execution is an utter joy
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  2. 8.0 |   NME

    Beck takes on a new cosmic identity with aplomb, roping in Pharrell to achieve pop minimalism that proves there's no sound he can't excel at
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  3. 8.0 |   Uncut

    Never feels over calculated or overdressed. Instead, it's the work of an artist who sounds fully re-engaged. Print edition only

  4. 8.0 |   Q

    For such a heavenly record, an all-star cast makes perfect sense. Print edition only

  5. 8.0 |   The Arts Desk

    It's the moments where Beck stretches his songwriting muscles that shine best
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  6. 8.0 |   The Observer

    Once the lyrical sorrow and apocalyptic visions hit home, Hyperspace is revealed as a bleak, spacey R&B tour de force
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  7. 8.0 |   Mojo

    The combination of shimmering sonics and dislocated characters is what makes Hyperspace so holistic, and compelling. Print edition only

  8. 8.0 |   Clash

    Overall, it's a glittering, multi-sensory synth-pop record that compels you to let yourself be transported through cosmic dimensions and the rich, textured under-layers of Beck’s creative psyche
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  9. 8.0 |   Rolling Stone

    The alt-pop icon teams up with Pharrell for a revelatory inner­-space journey
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  10. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    Not all of the 11 tracks here strike gold, but they glitter and glow with positivity
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  11. 7.5 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    While there’s no memorable poppy chorus here, or lush, full-band arrangements, or zany quirkiness, Hyperspace is nevertheless totally Beck
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  12. 7.5 |   A.V. Club

    Overall, in spite of its goofy throwback artwork and the presence of Pharrell Williams, Hyperspace belongs on the shelf closest to Sea Change. There are more clunkers here than on that classic, but it feels similarly honest and world-weary
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  13. 7.5 |   Northern Transmissions

    Mixing just enough of the familiar and the unexpected, defying expectations of a Pharrell collaboration, Hyperspace manages to stand out among Beck’s diverse and tenured discography
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  14. 7.0 |   The Music

    This may leave fans wanting, although the album as a whole is another quality listen from the godfather of indie
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  15. 7.0 |   Exclaim

    Hyperspace isn't quite what fans would expect from a team-up between Beck and the guy who wrote "Happy," and it's better for it
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  16. 7.0 |   All Music

    Beck never lingers upon either his melancholy or his celestial flights of fantasy: they exist simultaneously, resulting in a tremulous and pretty soundtrack for moments of fleeting introspection
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  17. 6.7 |   Paste Magazine

    Packed with spacey synths and mellow vibes
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  18. 6.7 |   Consequence Of Sound

    Pharrell Williams’ signature production style works favorably for Beck, and its cohesiveness makes it feel like a complete project rather than a notebook of scattered, unfocused ideas
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  19. 6.5 |   Under The Radar

    Co-produced with Pharrell Williams, Hyperspace leans into Beck's hip-hop fascinations, this time trading the soul samples of his past for mellow SoundCloud rap trends of the 2010s
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  20. 6.5 |   Pitchfork

    Beck roams across a pleasant, gently psychedelic landscape looking for something new
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  21. 6.0 |   Evening Standard

    Beck’s maximalist approach has taken a backseat but this intergalactic journey could have benefited from his foot being pressed harder on the accelerator
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  22. 6.0 |   The Independent

    While these are enjoyable enough tracks to soundtrack your day, there’s little of the lasting emotion or progression for which we know Beck
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  23. 6.0 |   The Guardian

    In what would have seemed a dream teaming early last decade, Pharrell Williams helped produce Beck’s occasionally lovely but unambitious 14th album
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  24. 5.0 |   Slant Magazine

    Most of the album’s songs blend into each other so nebulously that they become collectively anonymous
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  25. 5.0 |   PopMatters

    Hyperspace ends up being a frustrating record. Beck and Pharrell Williams produce two excellent songs, "Uneventful Days" and "Saw Lightning", but their other five tracks each leave something to be desired
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  26. 4.0 |   The FT

    The songs are polished but low-key, with several tracks aiming for the strung-out introspection of a Frank Ocean tune
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  27. 3.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    The element of surprise within past glories, and his joyful surrender to incoherence, has long waned into mediocrity that’s much too keen to please. One wonders if Hyperspace even pleases the man who made it
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