Yeat - “Lyfe” Album Review
After deleting the original tweet teasing the release of this 12 track EP, the not-so underground phenomenon that is Yeat decided to simultaneously announce the release of another full length project.
Consequently, fans assumed this sample of tracks to be “throwaways,” but the innovative and addictive nature of his mean-sounding infatuations once again allow Yeat to get away with a miniscule creative approach.
Possessing an absurdly successful marketing and promotional team has allowed the 22-year-old to embrace a fan base that simply cannot escape his music, as it quite literally lingers on every crevice of social media.
Nonetheless, certain particularities of the EP make it worthwhile, such as the punchy single “Talk” which was circulating on TikTok as a snippet for months. The bruising instrumental, police sirens, robotic mixing, and apocalyptic feel of the track contribute immensely to Yeat’s smooth delivery, making it a catalyst within the tracklist.
On first hand, the single and the intro track “Flawless” featuring Lil Uzi Vert entices any frequent listener to assume the energy of the album will set off smoke alarms, but after a potent and stormy atmosphere the waters seem to calm and create redundancy.
The following songs display disinterest and lack of energy, but the instrumentals complement the varying gaps left out within the tracks. In “Wat it feel lyke,” however, there is a resurgence from the underlying, ‘boring’ tracks, but that burst only lasts for its individual length.
A perfect example for this phenomenon is “Krank,” which sets off immediately but seems to loop into an inescapable void of one-liners. Similarly, “System” provides the usual hard beat with the same old engineering and layering, and establishes a serious set-back from the more enjoyable tracks in the EP.
“Got it all” is attractive in its own unique way. The slow, methodical drums float around Yeat in an unveiling and paced vocal performance, leaving hope that the rock and metal influence frequents onto the album.
Evidently, the only other attractive cut in this collection is “Holy 1” as it prepares the listener for what could be the most experimental and sophisticated side of Yeat. The previous album formatted ways for feelings to be transcribed through hard-hitting flows and lyrics, but after listening to this song it is not impossible that the young talent decides to take another step up in production and deliver a similar theme through a deeper web of percussion.
Not much else can be said about this collection. It may be a stash of tracks that did not make it on the upcoming album, but it may easily also perform as a tease.
There will always be bright spots for the Californian to build into and prove once again why the game is in the palm of his hand, but it is fair to assume his fanbase is not going anywhere.
Rating: 7/10 stars
Juan Mendez is a third-year student majoring in broadcast journalism and spanish. To contact him email jsm6022@psu.edu.
