By Marty Dubecky, Digital Communications Manager

Let’s start here. 

Jan. 27, 2023, the day musical artist Lil Yachty released his new experimental, psychedelic R&B mind-bender of an album.

The album, Let’s Start Here, is aptly named, as it marks a new road for Lil Yachty and potentially a new road for Hip Hop and rappers in general. After releasing the viral song “Poland,” Lil Yachty mentioned an album diving into genres other than his signature style, dubbed “mumble rap.” He released such an album in January. 

Miles Parks McCollum, also known as Lil Yachty or Lil Boat, has always had a flair for the experimental. 

His viral song “Poland” is both strange and hilarious. He was even set to produce his own movie based on the popular card game Uno. 

It’s no surprise, then, that he would put together an album straying so far off the normal route. Let’s Start Here strays far from mumble rap but in the best and most listenable way it can. 

Between his autotuned voice, blistering guitar solos, mind melting synth sounds and often poignant and insightful lyrics, Lil Yachty’s new album combines to make a really immersive and fresh listening experience.

The caliber of people with whom he worked shows in the final product. Lil Yachty teamed up with lauded producers such as Patrick Wimberly and the Raisen brothers. He also worked with Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jake Portrait to put the whole album together. The album flows wonderfully, starting with the powerful “the BLACK seminole.” Lil Yachty comes in very strong with the autotuned vocals, giving us rhymes and thoughtful reflections, which lead into the first of the powerful guitars heard throughout.

The album plays like a wild mix of Tame Impala and Pink Floyd, with Lil Yachty creating his own brand of psychedelic R&B. Each song gets you excited about the next and makes you wonder about all of the musical influences Lil Yachty went through to create this album. The album proves its worth with each passing song, as a first listen makes the next sound even better than the previous. 

He takes a break near the beginning, providing a monologue to the listener in “(failure(:’’ and then kicks the album into high gear. Heavy drums, dreamy vocals and synths, psychedelic soundscapes in songs like “IVE OFFICIALLY LOST VISION!!!” are what make Let’s Start Here. so fresh and interesting to hear.

Lil Yachty culminates the whole experience with the last two songs, “The Alchemist” and “REACH THE SUNSHINE.” The two songs sum up everything in a poignant and powerful way. 

The whole project and Lil Yachty dubbing this album the start of his next era of songwriting gets the listener excited about any project to come.