After dropping two projects (including a collaboration with A$AP Ferg) in 2016, Yung Lean is coming off a big year. Still, the Stockholm artist seems ready to continue the wave in 2017, having made the recent announcement that he would be releasing a new album later this year. While the project has yet to secure a release date, Lean has officially shared the upcoming album's first single, "Red Bottom Sky." Even if you aren't down with the whole "Sadboy" movement, it might be hard to resist the sheer beauty of Lean's latest drop.
The song is a far cry from the off-kilter flow and lyricism of his earlier drops like "Kyoto," instead relying on building an atmospheric, near-ambient soundscape. Lean foregoes rapping all together, bringing his vocal chops to the forefront and delivering a catchy, melancholic melody. In some ways, it's an odd choice for a lead off single, but in many ways, it's the perfect one. "Red Bottom Sky" has clear crossover appeal, and the chorus is immediate enough to hook all manners listeners in, sad or otherwise. Plus, once Yung Lean slides into the verses, he manages to keep the sing-song melody floating while bringing out some of his trademark lyrics.
"Skrrt, Skrrt, to the moon bitch I'm swervin'" sings Yung Lean, over some truly lovely synths. It's a somewhat comical juxtaposition actually, but it's so unapologetically Lean that you have to respect it. Despite the fact that the song goes on for over five minutes, it never drags. By the time the track reaches its denouement, Lean has switched up the melodies enough to have kept it interesting throughout.
What do you think of "Red Bottom Sky?" It's not a traditional hip-hop effort from Lean, but the experimental vibe proves that his upcoming project may be his most ambitious yet.
Quotable Lyrics
Soldiers in the night and we lurking
Medieval flowers in my church, we working
I'm in the bottom, let's be silver surfer surfing
I lived a thousand lives, but I'm still searching (where they at?)