The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg

The Hanging Gardens
of Beatenberg
Studio album by Beatenberg
Released 15 August 2014 (2014-08-15)
Recorded June 2013 – March 2014
Studio Sunset Studios
Genre Worldbeat, Indie pop
Length 1:05:00
Label Universal Music Africa
Producer Ross Dorkin
Beatenberg chronology
Farm Photos
(2009)		 The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg
(2014)
Singles from
The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg
  1. "Echoess"
    Released: April 2012 [1]
  2. "Chelsea Blakemore"
    Released: 19 August 2013 [2]
  3. "Pluto (Remember You)"
    Released: November 2013 [3]
  4. "Rafael"
    Released: July 2014 [4]

The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg is the second album by South African indie pop band Beatenberg. It was produced by the bassist, Ross Dorkin,[5] and was released on 15 August 2014 on their current label, Universal Music Africa.[6] Thematically, the album captures thoughts of love and light-hearted subjects[7] The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg was recorded from June 2013 till March 2014 at Sunset Studios in Stellenbosch and, vocalist, Matthew Field's home studio.[8]

The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg includes Beatenberg’s first hit single, “Chelsea Blackmore”, as well as follow-up singles "Pluto (Remember You)" and "Rafael".[2] The album and singles generally received positive reviews from critics. It peaked at number 2 on the South African iTunes chart[9] and was awarded the South African Music Awards prestigious Album of the Year for 2015.[10] At the end of 2015 the album was certified gold by Recording Industry of South Africa, for selling more than 15,000 copies in South Africa.[11][12]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
PLATFORM86/100[13]

The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg peaked at number 2 on the South African iTunes Charts,[9] following the success of their collaboration with DJ Clocks on his track "Pluto (Remember You)". The single became the longest running South African number-one single ever, with seventeen weeks on the local radio charts.[14]

In South Africa, the reviews were favourable. Andy Petersen of PLATFORM said, "it is anthemic and riveting".[13] The satirist Justin Nurse praised Beatenberg's second album, noting their influences and "familiarity that is so infectious".[15] SA Music Scene’s Vicky Jankiewicz praised it as a distinctive pop album with an “African flavour [in] their rhythms and beats".[16] HillyDilly critic Cole Ryan hailed it as “undoubtedly one of the best indie-pop [albums] presented [in 2014]"[17] The We-Are-Awesome blog wrote that it was a "Paul Simon-esque ballads [with] references to suburban nostalgia and an unashamed pop sensibility".[18] The award-winning BEARD.fm blog said "you can’t help but feel happy and picture people in old 1950’s outfits in a shebeen".[19]

Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Rafael"   4:10
2. "Beauty Like a Tightened Bow"   3:26
3. "Chelsea Blakemore"   3:37
4. "Pluto"   5:52
5. "Southern Suburbs"   3:57
6. "Scorpionfish"   3:28
7. "Ithaca"   4:49
8. "Cavendish Square"   4:02
9. "Facebook Apologia"   3:41
10. "Echoes"   3:36
11. "All About Me"   3:09
12. "Cape To Rio"   4:17
13. "The Prince of the Hanging Gardens"   4:44
14. "Achievement"   3:25
15. "Thinking About You"   4:33
16. "Bend the Rules"   4:14
Total length:
 01:05:00

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ Swank, Allison (30 April 2012). "Audio: Beatenberg ‘Echoes’". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 "New Track. Beatenberg - 'Chelsea Blackmore'". We Are Awesome. 19 August 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  3. ↑ Klein, Alyssa (22 January 2014). "DJ Clock x Beatenberg ‘Pluto (Remember You)’". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Klein, Alyssa (31 July 2014). "Beatenberg’s Tennis Anthem ‘Rafael’". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Monaheng, Tseliso (29 August 2014). "A Night with Beatenberg". Mahala. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  6. ↑ Shackleford, Graeme (19 August 2014). "Beatenberg look forward to album launch". Fourways Review. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg". GQ South Africa. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Beatenberg have launched anticipated album "The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg". Waking Life Magazine. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Beatenberg Band". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  10. ↑ Mkhwanazi, Katlego (20 April 2015). "Beatenberg steals the show at the Samas". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  11. ↑ Mdaka, Rifumo (3 December 2015). "Beatenberg’s Hanging Gardens goes gold". FDBQ Music. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  12. ↑ Mosupi, Azizzar (4 December 2015). "Beatenberg strikes gold". Times Live. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  13. 1 2 Petersen, Andy (11 August 2014). "Album Review: Beatenberg - The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg". PLATFORM. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  14. ↑ "‘Edujazz’ to feature Beatenberg". Cape Times. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  15. ↑ Nurse, Justin (9 September 2014). "The Prince of the Hanging Gardens". 2OceansVibe. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  16. ↑ Jankiewicz, Vicky (24 October 2014). "The Hanging Gardens Of Beatenberg – Review". SA Music Scene. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  17. ↑ Ryan, Cole (2014). "The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg Review". HillyDilly. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "Interview with Beatenberg". We Are Awesome. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  19. ↑ "The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg [Review]". The Beard.fm. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
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