Backed by an Icelandic children’s choir, ‘Agony’ takes influence from his side projects, with his rapping shelved in favour of his lesser-heard singing. Showcasing his lyrical ability, Lean includes the haunting refrain “Isolation caved in/I adore you, the sound of your skin”. This line, much like a lot of the album, reflects his mental state following the death of his manager, Barron Machat in 2015.
‘Yellowman’ continues to demonstrate the influence of his side projects, with a more fragile side revealed. While his music has always conveyed emotion, this is an insight into his mindset, rather than outside glimpses through his lyrics that have been the style of his previous releases.
For fans of Lean’s producers Yung Gud and Yung Sherman, they’re at their best here, with singles ‘Red Bottom Sky’ and ‘Hunting My Own Skin’ proving highlights of the album. Having rebuilt himself from the ground up, Yung Lean has put together his best work yet. Finally shedding the reputation of ‘meme rapper’ that has dogged him for so long.
7.5/10
