The Hanging Gardens
of Beatenberg
Studio album by
Beatenberg
Released15 August 2014 (2014-08-15)
RecordedJune 2013 – March 2014
StudioSunset Studios
Genre
Length1:05:00
LabelUniversal Africa
ProducerRoss Dorkin
Beatenberg chronology
Farm Photos
(2009)		 The Hanging Gardens
of Beatenberg
(2014)		 12 Views of Beatenberg
(2018)
Singles from
The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg
  1. "Echoes"
    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 band Beatenberg. It was self-produced [5] and released on 15 August 2014 on 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 Blakemore”, 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

All songs written by Matthew Field except where noted.

No.TitleLength
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
Total length:55:18
'Deluxe edition' bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Achievement"3:25
15."Thinking About You (cover; written by Frank Ocean)"4:33
16."Bend the Rules"4:14
Total length:01:05:00

Personnel

  • Matthew Field - vocals, guitar, piano
  • Ross Dorkin - bass guitar
  • Robin Brink - drums

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. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
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