Best known as the founding member of boy band BROCKHAMPTON, Kevin Abstract unveils his third studio album, ‘Blanket’, via Video Store/RCA Records. Crafted over a three month period in early 2023, this 13-track project offers a blend of indie, alternative rock and R&b.
Let’s get into the meat of the album. Kevin gives us an intimate glimpse of his journey navigating the uncertainties of new beginnings by embracing the solace found in his earliest memories.
Lyrics in ‘Voyager’ echo a nostalgic reflection on simpler times shared with someone special. Indie rock electric guitar rhythms take the spotlight in tracks like ‘Running Out’, while we indulge in the emotional depth of more emo rock styles in, ‘Today I Gave Up’. Kevin infuses the project with a touch of R&B vocals, highlighted in, ‘Scream’ and final track, ‘My Friend’, where he introduces us with Southern country elements – a nod, perhaps, to his Texan roots.
Beautifully shot teaser visuals accompany the album, each featuring a younger Kevin alongside mascot characters, in surreal scenarios. Each 30 second clip oozes with a dream-like aura but at the same time, an eerie presence. For example, “MR. EDWARDS“, kid Kevin wakes up next to a creepy mascot who reaches out to him, leaving us with the echoes of his piercing scream.
Released with each of the singles dropped prior to the album, these visuals emphasise the dark and uncomfortable space Kevin explores, with reflection on his past. He reminisces, “Everything is more magical back then. Going to Disney and sleepovers, the imagination, hearing certain songs for the first time – all that stuff just feels epic.”
Recorded at Spike Jonze’s brother Sam i’s Los Angeles studio and Rick Rubin’s Malibu studio Shangri-La, the sessions are where Kevin delved into his earliest memories – a journey back to a time when the concept of the future was boundless and possibilities were limitless.