Crossing between genres and dimensions, GRAMMY® Award-winning rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer BEAM unveils his full-length debut album, ALIEN, today. Get it at all DSPs HERE via BE I AM/Epic Records.
A true body of work, the album threads together an unpredictable trip through styles. Whether it be the otherworldly opus “SUNDOWN” [feat. Justin Bieber] or emotionally charged “HURT PEOPLE” [feat. Zacari], the momentum masterfully ebbs and flows between moods. “AKIRA PT. 1 & 2” lives up to its name as a high-octane banger, while “2ND SAMUEL” [feat. Papa San] borders on divine with its unbreakable wall of bass. Then, there’s “CONSCIENCE” [feat. Jorja Smith]. It skates towards a warbling and woozy melody as the production hypnotizes. A strong narrative weaves throughout the album, ruminating on stories of alienation, redemption and perseverance.
“I just want people to realize they are not the only ones who feel alienated in life,” says BEAM. “Whether that’s a good or bad thing, you have to walk a narrow road. You feel alienated because you discern a certain thing that people don’t understand. You get to digest a piece of my brain and get to know me on an artistic level with this album.”
Along with the record’s arrival, BEAM just uncovered the cinematic music video for the album’s colossal closing track, “PLANET BEAM.” Watch it HERE. Directed by Nabil [Kanye West, Dua Lipa, Frank Ocean], the visual opens with BEAM in a dimly lit backroom where he receives a sultry private dance. However, the painting behind him opens another portal where he squares off against intergalactic creatures as the song’s tempo switches just as fast between smoked-out hip-hop, ebullient dancehall, and otherworldly pop. By the end, he returns to this plane of existence, but he may never be the same…
In the end, he embodies the spirit of ALIEN as he elevates the music to another stratosphere.
“If you don’t want to hear the same old stuff and love dancehall, then go listen to ALIEN,” BEAM states. “If you like hip-hop or R&B, there are tracks you will like, too. If you want something new, you should go listen to it. James Brown and Kid Cudi make me happy when I’m down, and I hope that my album will have the same effect on others. I hope and pray that people get it.”
BEAM paved the way for the album with the release of the single “WIN” in January, racking in 800,000 views on the music video. It arrived on the heels of “ANXIETY,” a highly personal song which Highsnobiety describes as a “dark trap universe” with “lazor-sharp bars [that] kick down the door into his world riddled with street setups and anxiety.” Watch the official music video for “ANXIETY” HERE.
ALIEN has arrived, and the game may never be the same! Welcome to PLANET BEAM!
Additionally, BEAM has received several 2022 GRAMMY® Award nominations for contributions to various projects. Among the accolades, via new standards set by the Recording Academy, BEAM is nominated two times in the category of ‘Album of the Year.’ The nominations are for his contributions to Justin Bieber’s Justice—where BEAM is featured on the song “Love You Different” and co-wrote “There She Go” featuring Lil Uzi Vert—and Kanye West’s DONDA—where he co-wrote “Pure Souls” and “OK Ok pt 2.” He is also featured on the Major Lazer album Music Is the Weapon, which received a nomination in the category of Best Dance/Electronic Album. Alongside Shenseea and Buju Banton this year (both on DONDA), BEAM is among the first Jamaican artists to be nominated for the biggest award of the ceremony—and he did it twice!
He previously released an EP, 95, to critical acclaim in late 2019. the genre-bending project served as a stellar introduction for the artist. Amid of wave of critical acclaim, he gave a must-see performance of the song “2×2” on COLORS, while both Pigeons & Planes and British GQ named him a 2020 Artist to Watch. In addition, he received praise and attention via everybody from Highsnobiety and The FADER to HYPEBEAST, British Vogue, Clash, LA Weekly, and more. NPR named BEAM one of their favorite Heat Check discoveries of 2019 while putting 95 of their staff picks for best albums of 2019, and he concluded the 95 era with an otherworldly NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert. Outside of his two ‘Album of the Year” GRAMMY nominations, BEAM has become a highly in-demand collaborator. Over the past several years, he has worked with names like Migos, 21 Savage, Internet Money (ft. Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver, Gunna), Skrillex, Pop Smoke, Pusha T, Maroon 5, MIA and more, while Rihanna used music composed by BEAM as the official theme to her 2020 Savage x Fenty show.
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© 2022, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
