Lil Yachty explores psychedelic sounds on new album PHOTO CREDIT: stereogum.com
Fresh off the success of his single “Poland,” Lil Yachty dropped a psychedelic rock fueled album “Let’s Start Here.” on Jan. 27.
Lil Yachty is a rapper from Atlanta who found immense success in the “Soundcloud era” of the mid 2010s through his distinctive auto tuned vocals, hard hitting drums and catchy choruses, becoming a face of that generation of rap. He was featured on the XXL Magazine Freshman Cyphers in 2016, widely regarded as a major moment in hip hop culture.
“Let’s Start Here.” taps into the kaleidoscopic sounds of the 1970s, mixing rich basslines, textured synths and spaced-out vocals to create a true audio trip throughout each track. The first track, “the BLACK seminole.” immediately sets the tone for the rest of the album with atmospheric riffs, heavy-hitting drums and impressive vocals from Yachty. An extensive electric guitar solo leads into a large interlude roughly halfway through the nearly seven minute runtime. Featured vocals from R&B singer Diana Gordon tie in with Yachty’s to end the track and introduce the rest of the album.
Across the rest of the 57 minutes, Yachty explores a variety of themes and musical motifs, including from upbeat tracks like “the ride-” and “pRETTy,” both perfect for summertime drives, even in the dreariness of late January.
The fifth track “:(failure(:” is arguably Yachty’s most introspective track across his discography. He explains his life struggles, stress and anxiety, over a somber atmospheric backing track of guitar chords and echoed choir vocals, at times painfully weeping and crying.
“IVE OFFICIALLY LOST ViSiON” is an expressive and emotional track fueled by regret and sadness about losing friendships, once again featuring Diana Gordon. Yachty’s filtered vocals add to the rough and gritty texture of this song, while simultaneously opening up and reflecting on his past. Upon first listen, it feels like Yachty is slipping in and out of consciousness, as if he was experiencing a new high.
Online commentary has noted the similarities between Yachty’s new sound and that of Australian psych rock group Tame Impala. This comparison is most accurate on tracks like “sHouLd i B” and “WE SAW THE SUN!” where the simple drum patterns, backing vocals and sound effects combine with synthesizers and psychedelic guitar to create a hypnotic trance-inducing sound.
“Lil Boat” takes on a funkier sound than his previous work, highlighted on tracks such as “running out of time,” where his falsetto voice accentuates the trumpet and horn section, while seamlessly fitting into a deep groove provided by the heavy, driving bassline. “drive ME crazy!” is a more traditional sounding funk track, incorporating extended string chord changes from disco music of the late 1970s. After a riveting upbeat first half of the track, the tempo slows down, allowing Yachty to drop some of his more reflective lyrics of the whole album.
Rounding out the album “REACH THE SUNSHINE,” the final track, is the perfect way to end the listening experience. Lil Yachty is accompanied by R&B singer Daniel Caesar, whose tender performance is contradicted by hauntingly harsh synths and thrashing guitars between verses.
Overall this album was such an odd experience, but I’m glad it happened. Lil Yachty took a major risk by abandoning his traditional sound, and hopefully we may continue to see him experiment in the future.