Review Summary: Two from two.
In stark contrast to
DAYTONA, we have
Ye. A sudden listening party was curated to celebrate its release. Celebrities abundant, as you can imagine. But weirdly enough,
Ye doesn’t feel like it needs a massive listening party.
DAYTONA certainly did, what with its visceral beats and tough bars combining on a flawless production credit from Kanye himself.
Ye feels more free-flowing. A departure from the at-times jarring
Yeezus. It feels more focused. A stark difference from the schizophrenic
The Life of Pablo. But most importantly, it feels
Kanye, something that has remained through all of his changes.
And honestly, what more could we want?
Just like
DAYTONA,
Ye clocks in at seven tracks. Twenty-three minutes. But just like Pusha’s album, Kanye achieves greatness. It feels all-encompassing. Opener ‘I Thought About Killing You’ acts as a self-medication, a cleansing of what Kanye has been going through the last few years;
Scream so loud got no lungs/Hurt so bad I go numb. It’s all over a low-key keyboard line before bringing in what the album is about; clean, crisp production over some bars. Though lacking that crunch lyric wise, the flow/beat duo intertwine so effortlessly. Tracks like ‘All Mine’ use a slow, methodical beat over some of Kanye’s funniest lyrics;
I love your titties cause’ they prove/I can focus on two things at once. It’s these tongue-and-cheek moments that are contrasted by more serious moments that help
Ye feel so fulfilling. A track like the epic ‘Ghost Town’ work both as a triumph and as an introspective statement;
Baby don’t you bet it all/On a pack of Fentanyl; all put together by a fantastic final verse from 070 Shake;
I put my hands on the stove, to see if I still bleed/Yeah, and nothing hurts anymore, I feel kinda free.
Ye feels like it leads up to this penultimate track, in which everything comes together. Introspection. Clarity. Acceptance.
Freedom.
And as ‘Violent Crimes’ winds the album down;
Don’t grow up in a hurry/your mom’ll be worried; freedom is what
Ye feels like. Though it isn’t the upfront and ragged
DAYTONA, why should it be?
Ye is beautiful the way it is. It’s Kanye finally coming out with something so incredibly focused, a feeling a Kanye album hasn’t brought in a long time. And although it barely crosses the twenty minute mark, it doesn’t feel like it needs to. It’s a clear, introspective approach, and it works so cohesively that it all feels so special. We’re here for
Ye. And I’m loving every minute of it.
Two from two.
4.2/5
Recommended Tracks: I Thought About Killing You, All Mine, Ghost Town, Violent Crimes
