Yung Lean (Jonatan Leandoer Håstad) is a Swedish rapper that rose to fame after releasing his first major viral single “Ginseng Strip 2002” back in 2013. Through making music and listening to music, Lean was able to teach himself the English language by strictly grinding out tracks like there’s no tomorrow; either through his “Yung Lean” moniker or his “Leandoer96” alternate account on Spotify. While you can still hear a slight accent and one or two weird sentences since English is his self-taught second language, it 100% does not take anything away from his artistic integrity. As a matter of fact, I think it adds to the vibe he’s been going for as I’ve seen his style change repeatedly from the years of cranking his music on max daily.
So; Starz. Where do I even start…
This whole project is a masterpiece. I could talk about how ingenious the production is, how on point the atmospheric, desolate and yet full the vibe is and how the lyrics are kept simple enough to drive the point across while also drawing back the curtains on the confirmative and typical rap formula currently is for days. Instead – as per usual – I’ll be tackling my favorite songs off the record and different ways to go about listening to it and where to start as well.
On this 16-song project, I listen to all 16 tracks front to back - without fail - every single day since it dropped. 3 of these tracks are some of my all-time favorites; starting off with “Iceheart” on the tail end of the record. This song threw the old Yung Lean formula out of the window and attempted to tackle a KEY! (777 era) like delivery mixed with a very dark and dreamy trap beat over it. Lean goes off on this song, flexing his luxurious lifestyle; preferring to wear Prada over his massive collection of Goyard jewelry and wearing enough ice on his neck to weigh down an aircraft carrier. The production on this track is absolutely wild, ranging from heavy 808s to random percussion sounds and twinkly dreamscape-y melody in the background accompanied by a piano-trap style layer.
While most critics would advise you to listen to the album for the first time by starting at the top, I’d recommend starting off with this song first since it’s much more widely accepted by most fans with its straightforward delivery and full instrumentals.
Going back to the top of the project and making a full 180 on style and feel; “Dance In The Dark” is a very heartfelt song as Lean harmonizes over the melody more than aggressively attacking the beat. The lyrics are simple and scattered, yet they describe a feeling of euphoria and bliss by being able to let go of the seriousness of life and enjoying the smaller things: dancing under a blinking streetlight at the dead of night in downtown Stockholm. Lean’s singing voice really shines on this track as well. While yes; Lean doesn’t have the musical prowess of Alicia Keys or the pitch perfect humming that Kid Cudi can just whip out, the monotone delivery of the harmony adds more to the barren feel with this record which makes it much more intimate. This is the Yung Lean most fans are more familiar with; abstract beat and scattered lyrical delivery. This is the kind of song to vibe to more than bop at a party.
And finally; the best track title award goes to “Acid at 7/11”. This track sounds like if you mixed the “Iceheart” delivery with the “Dance In The Dark” instrumental and make it sound as good as Lean did. While this whole album feels like a euphoric acid trip, this track is the peak of it all for sure. Lean goes on to describe his “addicting” personality and how women flock to him from all over the place, as if they’ve chasing the high they were on while being with him (that’s what I like to call a ‘Lean binge’). This track is fun; it’s the sort of vibe you’d have after a good Saturday night; a nice, subtle beat and an easy-to-mimic delivery without too much thought into the intricacies of metaphorical writing or a dynamic and complex motif.
That’s what I have to say about the album; overlooking the obvious lack in language proficiency and simpler lyrics: a solid 8.5/10 in my books and a definite recommendation for anyone looking to explore a more barebones concept of alternative hip-hop. However - like my King Krule review – I feel like if you wanted to absorb the full Yung Lean experience in order to develop an ear for this genre, you should definitely check out “Kyoto”: a single he released during his early phases of making music in 2013, “Yoshi City” off of his second album “Unknown Memory” in 2014 and “Red Bottom Sky” off of the “Stranger” album in 2017.
I hope you all are staying safe and occupied during this lockdown; the best thing about it is we have new music coming out every other week with enough time to sit and really appreciate the artistic integrity and effort put into every sound, along with the transitions between tracks and the overall concept of the projects. Keep listening to music and maintaining social distance!