Beyoncé: Renaissance (deluxe, 2LP, 180g, with booklet and poster) [COLUMBIA]

Why you'll love it

Renaissance debuted at No. 1 and won the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album. It's one long, glittering DJ set through disco, house and ballroom, and this deluxe edition comes on 180g vinyl with a booklet and poster.

This edition

• Deluxe edition
• 2LP set on 180g vinyl
• Includes a booklet and poster
• Parkwood / Columbia pressing

About the album

Renaissance was born of its creator's desire to build an escapist musical fantasy world during the dark days of COVID-19 lockdown. And where did Ms. Beyoncé Knowles choose to escape? Into the glitter-streaked glory days of early disco, house and techno, Black music that largely originated within the further marginalized confines of queer-friendly dance clubs in New York, Chicago and Detroit. It's a good look for Beyoncé.

The singer's first album of new solo material since 2016's Lemonade, the endlessly groovy Renaissance is presented in a continuous flow as if it were a DJ mix, and it lets Beyoncé try on an entirely new style of diva-dom. It makes you wonder why she hasn't been doing this sort of stuff all along. It debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard album chart in July of 2022, too, giving mainstream audiences a tantalizing peek into the realm of underground dance music. So "cool" points to Beyoncé. In further testament to her restless creative spirit, the formally titled Act I: Renaissance would be followed by her "country" album Act II: Cowboy Carter in 2024.

Also at Kops: more Beyoncé on vinyl · browse Hip Hop / R&B

Tracklist

Listen

On Parkwood / Columbia, first out in 2022.