Matt Champion is a singer and rapper who was a part of the self-proclaimed “greatest boyband of all time,” BROCKHAMPTON.
When BROCKHAMPTON broke up after releasing “The Family” (which only Kevin Abstract was on) and “TM,” fans wondered what would happen to the boyband’s members and their careers. As time passed, the BROCKHAMPTON members showed how they could hold their own independently.
Producer Jabari Manwa released a drill-inspired single under the name SAGA BUOY. BROCKHAMPTON hypeman Merlyn Wood released a few singles and the electronic-dabbling rap EP “DIRTY THUNDER” as well as a collaborative project with ex-BROCKHAMPTON member Ameer Vann under the title “Smile And The Ice Machine.” Leader and co-founder Kevin Abstract released the Alex G-reminiscent “Blanket,” and lyricist Dom McLennon released the promising but poorly mixed “Prologue” EP in February of 2024, but other members like vocalist and producer JOBA, producer Romil Hemnani and vocalist bearface haven’t dropped music on streaming services so far.
The appeal of BROCKHAMPTON is eclectic as the boyband dabbled into multiple genres. Matt Champion was more of a rapper in his time with BROCKHAMPTON, so it was a bit of a surprise that his latest LP, “Mika’s Laundry,” was mostly an album with sung vocals. There are exceptions like the opener, “Green,” where the cryptic and seemingly meaningless phrase “Alabama blue” is raspily sung, but then Champion alternates between mainly rapping in the first verse and mainly singing in the second.
Another surprise is that Champion co-produced “Mika’s Laundry” with Henry Kwapis, a relatively new producer who worked with alternative R&B artist Dijon on “Absolutely” and pop artist Dominic Fike on “Sunburn.” This album is Champion’s debut in production work. The production in question is mostly pop with some synth influence (“Steel,” which features Dora Jar) and guitar influence (“Purify,” “Dogfish”) and slightly alternative R&B based (“Aphid”), but there are exceptions like “Gbiv,” which doesn’t quite fit with the rest of “Mika’s Laundry” and its lush, easy listening vibe.
Champion’s eccentric vocal delivery and effects when he sings at times (like on the bridge of “Aphid,” which features alternative R&B artist Dijon) are reminiscent of some of the vocals on rapper and singer Quadeca’s mixtape “SCRAPYARD.” Whether or not Quadeca was an influence or if the similarities were all coincidences is debatable, but the comparison is worth noting.
Many of the songs are about love and interpersonal relationships, which could resonate with the majority of teen-to-young-adult audiences of the BROCKHAMPTON fan base. However, all this language about love could come off as superficial, corny or disingenuous, as the pop industry is oversaturated with love songs. On the other end of the spectrum, the broad concept of love is a generally universal subject matter that could unite people.
A particularly beautiful song about love on “Mika’s Laundry” is the drum and bass-inspired pop anthem “Slow Motion” with JENNIE of BLACKPINK. The yearning in the chorus of “’Cause you know I’m shy for you still, so bad that it kills, and I can’t help but feel like we’re moving in slow motion” may strike a chord with listeners who may be turbulent in getting their feelings across.
Champion can come off as a bit humorous in his pursuit of love as well, as he says, “They say I smile like a dogfish” on the titular “Dogfish” as a rather odd pick-up line. The rest of the song gets emotional, however, as he confronts his and his love interest’s mixed signals for potential love.
“Mika’s Laundry” is an album centered around the casual topic of love. Champion and many other BROCKHAMPTON members demonstrate his ability to grow instead of keeping a fixed mindset and living in the past.
Rating: 3.5/5