"Ur an Angel, I'm Just Particles" Proves That BENEE Is a Gen Z Queen

It has been three years since the New Zealand singer/songwriter BENEE released her last album, "Lychee". The wait, however, has finally come to an end. As of today, the 7th of November, she has finally released her third album, "Ur an Angel, I’m Just Particles." First catching the public's eye during the COVID-19 lockdown with her viral TikTok hit "Supalonely," she has worked consistently since then. Just this year, she produced the song "Zero to Hero" for the billion-dollar Minecraft movie, as well as joining Tate McRae as the pre-act in the European leg of her tour.

BENEE has made a name for herself due to her dreamy style that pairs well with her extroverted personality. "Ur an Angel I’m Just Particles" is no exception in this regard. Right from the first song, "Demons", she proves that she is in top form. As a song about obsessing over another person, the lyrics "Demon crawls under my skin, I'm wondering where he's been, I'm wondering where you've been“ capture the intense feelings very well. The second song, "Cinnamon", was released as a single several weeks before and is a favorite of the album. Catchy with a great hook and sound, the themes of rock bottom and a general acceptance of not being well at the moment are very relatable. The follow-up "Vegas" describes the rushing of a relationship due to one’s own insecurity. She wants to know that she’s loved, and what’s better than a big proclamation like a marriage?

The fourth song, "Sad Boii," was also released as a single, accompanied by a great music video. In it, she sings of the exhaustion with a relationship and the shattering of red-tinted glasses. The chorus, which starts with „Sad boy, I was mistaken, you're no bad boy“ and other lines like "Sorry, what's this all for? Don't make me feel good no more," makes for a catchy hit and a great company for moments when nothing feels quite right anymore. Next up is "Prey4U", a song written about trying to pursue and love someone who doesn’t put in the same effort. BENEE describes it as feeling like a vulture, recognizing at the same time that she’s doing too much and pushing him away. "Chainmail", on the other hand, is more of a self-care piece, a comment on how her skin has gotten so thick that spiteful words don’t hurt her anymore. It’s like she says, "There's nothing you can say I haven't heard before.“

The second half of the album starts off with "Doomsday", a song about sabotaging a relationship. BENEE knows she’s not well and that her behavior might lead to being broken up with. In an honest reflection, she also acknowledges that she doesn’t take the necessary steps to prevent that outcome. In "Underwater", she sings about feeling unseen; it's another yearning song, if more devastating, as the other half doesn’t seem to notice her. The chorus of "My head is underwater, a puddle full of my tears I could make a river, wouldn't even mattеr, Why don't you see me? Bottom of the pool, yeah“ is quite relatable and makes for a perfect companion piece for a good cry. "Off the Rails" is a song about irrationality and flip-flopping. In it, she switches from liking him to ghosting him, from wanting love to wanting to be alone. It’s something we all know too well, and BENEE is a master at putting those feelings into words and sounds.

Also released as a single, "Animal" is a song about feeling small in this big world that constantly puts pressure on you. Thus, she is also able to shed off blame; she is, after all, just an animal and a micro-celebrity. "Princess" is a song featuring PinkPantheress, whose voice complements the album greatly. As a self-celebration song, it’s a good dopamine boost and another standout. Closing off the album with "Heaven", BENEE sings about the loss of a loved one. She mourns, misses, and wishes for more time, as well as dreading the future, as she fears not being able to get into heaven. It’s a fairly somber and devastating note to leave the album on, that just hits you like a freight truck after all the songs about love. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, however; quite the contrary, it’s fantastic and another favorite.

With "Ur an Angel, I'm Just Particles," BENEE proves once again why she is a queen of her genre. It’s a perfect mix of happiness and sadness that characterizes Gen Z. If you’re into dreamy pop, this is a listen you shouldn’t miss!