The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg
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| The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 15 August 2014 | |||
| Recorded | June 2013 – March 2014 | |||
| Studio | Sunset Studios | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 1:05:00 | |||
| Label | Universal Africa | |||
| Producer | Ross Dorkin | |||
| Beatenberg chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg | ||||
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]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| PLATFORM | 86/100[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]
