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When Beatopia, the second studio album from indie singer-songwriter beabadoobee, first released in mid-2022, I had heard good things about it from online music-centered communities, prompting me to check it out. I had only heard of her breakout feature “death bed” up until this point, and thought nothing much of it except that it was a sweet, almost made-for-tiktok tune, so this album was my introduction to her.

Beatopia was a bit of a slow burn for me. Though beabadoobee’s syrupy-sweet, cutesy vocals aren’t especially versatile and felt a little too thin/simple on my first listen, it fits very well for her folk-pop/indie-rock style across the 14 tracks in Beatopia, though this did not click with me until my second listen when I had time to process the lyrics and tone. The distinctive character of her vocals are commendable – I always prefer musicians to have a recognizable voice over a technically proficient one – but it did take some getting used to as someone who prefers stronger, more powerful vocals. I did begin to like her vocal style more upon more listens of the more abrasive, alt-rock tracks like Don’t get the deal and Talk, where the contrast between her soft-spoken vocals and the all-out guitar and drums create a sort of strange harmony, though the vocal delivery could go harder on the more abrasive parts.

The lyrics generally are nothing particularly special or complex, though the raw, personal vulnerability beabadoobee displays in her lyrics, no doubt inspired by her personal breakup, carry a lot of charm and youthful energy in its simplicity, also making it pretty fun to lip-sync along to, though the catchy hooks definitely help to.

Despite some of the album’s flaws, Beatopia contains plenty of charm, personality, and potential that let it grow on me since it’s release. It’s safe to say I will be looking forward to hearing beabadoobee’s upcoming projects in 2023.

Best Track(s): “10:36”, “You’re here that’s the thing”, “See you Soon”

Rating: 6.5/10