Thoughts on Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here.
No major label debut frustrated me as much as 2017’s Teenage Emotions by Lil Yachty. I viewed him as a future trailblazer in the Atlanta rap scene when he was dropping music on SoundCloud. He had the most distinct sound among his contemporaries. His first mixtape Lil Boat wasn’t refined, but it was weirdly enthralling.
I wish he remained on that particular path because it made him different. Things headed for the worst when he sighed to Quality Control. QC label was a rising and respected force in hip-hop during this time, but I was worried they might tamper with his ideas.
Lo and behold, that is exactly what happened. Teenage Emotions was one of the worst albums of 2016. It sounded like many other trap albums, but this was accompanied by horrible rapping. It felt empty and soulless, which didn’t fairly reflect his carefree personality. His future LPs were better. However, he built upon what made him accessible, but not what made him weird.
His career was easy to ignore until he dropped Let’s Start Here. This new album is a psychedelic foray that no one saw coming. Aside from the leaks, there were few signs of this even happening. This is especially the case with his hit “Poland” being the last solo record he releases before Let’s Start Here.
His latest work is his best at all levels. Yachty produced most if not all of these songs with notable alternatives names such as Patrick Wimberly and Justin Raisen. “the BLACK seminole” is the best intro to an album I’ve heard since “A Lot’s Gonna Change” from Weyes Blood’s Titanic Rising. Yachty makes the smart decision to place similar vocal effects that his other albums have. He is still the same Yachty, just in the realm of something new. His lyrics haven’t gotten inexplicably wittier or anything, either.
Yachty does the bulk of the vocal work, hence being his album. However, there are plenty of features on this album that do not miss the mark, at all. The way he implemented other artists’ vocals is very Tyler, the Creator-esque. First-time listeners may relate this to Tyler’s IGOR, being that both he and Yachty are not the best singers. The way he utilized Diana Gordon and Teezo Touchdown on the first two tracks were impeccable. The best part of “The Ride” was when Yachty masterfully backed Touchdown’s climatic vocal near the end.
The drums and distorted guitars a beautiful throughout. They’re a highlight of “The Zone” for me. I feel like this song has the most Tame Impala influence. It’s the track that takes its time. The hi-hats are so damn clear, and the riffs are brolic. The echoes of Yachty’s voices put you in a trance. I think it gets the loudest on this track. At one moment, it reminded me of early Trippie Redd. Justine Skye’s feature ends the song off well by adding to the mystery of this truly being “home.”
I cannot help but think about the album cover while listening to the intro of “I’ve Officially Lost Vision!!!!.” It’s like the most eery corporate elevator music ever. This song is the point where Yachty’s vocals touched me emotionally. He cries, “I’ve been forced to make some terribly bad decisions. All these voices in my head, I need an incision.” The piano before the climax and Gordon’s vocal run are a heaven-sent blessing.
We reach rock bliss on “The Alchemist.” There is a superb connection of moods on this one. Yachty’s part has much energy and then settles gorgeously into Fousheé’s vocal embrace. It does this a couple of times. The quiet falsetto from her at the end is one of my favorite moments. It’s an appropriate appetizer for the next track, “REACH THE SUNSHINE.”
Along with Gordon’s lovely contributions, Daniel Caesar has one of the best features as well. Along with the powerful synths, there is a hint of Latin flare on the guitar. The laughing behind the synths, which I assume to be Yachty’s adds to the madness.
Let’s Start Here. is fantastic work throughout. When paired with music like this, Yachty’s vocals may be offputting to some. I’m happy that he trusted that his voice would fuse beautifully with the backing production. I’m also glad to know that Yachty had ideas behind all of the music.
