Beatopia, the whimsical land brought to life through the music of artist Beabadoobee, otherwise known as Beatrice Laus.

The title of Beabadoobee’s new record, Beatopia, comes from the name of the Imaginary world Beatrice dreamed up when she was about seven. After her parents immigrated to West London from Ilio, she felt out of place. In an interview that Arielle Gordon conducted for Pitchfork with Beabadoobee, Beabadoobee said that Beatopia was her escape. It was her dreamland that even had its own alphabet and language. When her classmates found out about this odd hobby of hers, they mocked her and she ended up leaving it behind, until recently. 

On Beatopia, Beabadoobee moves forward by retreating backward, finding a brighter sound in the sanctum of her inner child. Beatopia is almost a disconnected sound for new listeners but as you keep listening it starts to make sense. This album is very 2000’s pop rock, grunge, contemporary, and guitar-driven. While it’s not the most original sound, the story is very personal and cool because of the relationship the album has with her childhood. Anthony Fantano, a very popular music reviewer, gave Beatopia a “strong 6 light 7” out of ten in his video reviewing this album. 

Beatopia‘s sound is richer, buoyed by a bevy of collaborators that create the almost demonic-sounding backing vocals. The violin is introduced in lots of her songs throughout the album, making it feel fantastical. Slow guitar solos bring in the personal and more intimate aspect of this album. She goes from having lots of little different types of sounds to just the singular sound of her guitar.  “Beatopia Cultson” is the spacious overture that opens the album. Its sounds pull the listeners into a stylistic departure into Beatopia and out of reality. “You’re Here That’s the Thing,” ends this album on a sleepier, sentimental note. This song fits her agile voice well, leaving listeners in a sweeter mood. 

Beabadoobee is well suited for imaginary worlds. Her lyrics were written for a more sensual purpose rather than a functional purpose. Kristi’s lyric process is dreamlike and makes her listeners feel otherworldly.