Yung Lean Remains Smooth and Fun On "Stranger"

It's not often you see a foreign rapper (barring the UK) make his way through the scene of hip-hop. Thanks to his fresh sound, however, Stockholm-based rapper Yung Lean is doing just that with his new album. Yung Lean remains smooth and fun on Stranger. 

Yung Lean's style is very chill, with some groove thrown into the fray to make it sound fun. It opens with 'Muddy Sea,' the bubbly synths introducing the record with a curious and dreamy vibe. The delivery is pretty expected, edgy and a bit grimy but nothing that demeans the vibe. 'Red Bottom Sky' follows up with more of the dreamy and bubbly vibe, really owning it and taking it a sweet level. This is the most pristine the vibe really gets.

Stranger has more grittier takes, like 'Skimask' which is one of those lowkey banger tracks that's bound to make its way through the circuit. The album ends on a strong note too, 'Agony' being a very fun and real track before 'Yellowman' takes the record out on a chill tone. A lot of the record does, unfortunately, feel a bit repetitive. Songs like 'Salute - Pacman' still have those good vibes, but end up sounding a bit dull. Some tracks just don't really have anything going for them, either, such as 'Metallic Intuition.' It's a mixed bag.

Yung Lean remains smooth and fun on Stranger, never quite hitting a point of perfection but still staying true to his sound throughout the entire album. It is very apparent that Yung Lean is happy doing what he's doing and has fun doing so, which is all you can ask for at the end of the day.

Favorite Track: Red Bottom Sky

Least Favorite Track: Metallic Intuition

Rating: 72 / 100

Stream or buy Stranger on Apple Music: