Today’s entry is dedicated to Neil Kulkarni - the brilliant music journalist who wrote for Melody Maker, Uncut, Vox, Loaded, The Quietus and many others and sadly passed away this week. Neil also frequently contributed to the Top Of The Pops podcast Chart Music. His Substack archive is below.
Neil’s amazing writing on Lil Yachty a year ago inspired me to check out this record, certainly much earlier than I would have found it myself. I recommend reading what he had to say in early 2023 over what I’m about to say, but I will try to add some context.
Let's Start Here is Lil Yachty's fifth studio album, released in January 2023, and represents a fairly radical departure from his established trap sound, delving into yacht and psychedelic rock. Following his 2021 mixtape Michigan Boy Boat, the album garnered positive reviews and debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200.
In early 2022, Yachty expressed an intriguing intention to create an alternative/non-rap, which could be described as psychedelic. This vision came to fruition despite an earlier leak of the Sonic Ranch project. Yachty's Instagram Let’s Start Here announcement, with its AI-generated cover art depicting a surreal boardroom scene, hinted at his new direction – a creative leap acknowledged as a second chapter of his career.
Critically, Let's Start Here was well-received, with reviewers praising Yachty's boldness in stepping into a new genre and the album's cohesive yet diverse sound. Critical comments ranged from admiration for the album's psychedelic exploration to acknowledging Yachty’s evolution as an artist. The album's shift from Yachty's "bubblegum trap" roots to a more expansive psychedelic soundscape marked a significant moment in his career, challenging and expanding his musical boundaries by referencing artists like Pink Floyd, The Pines, Aphex Twin, Tame Impala and Kendrick Lamar.
‘Reach The Sunshine’ embodies this shift with its introspective lyrics and the melding of different musical influences and is a significant slice of this ambitious project. Featuring Canadian R&B singer Daniel Caesar, adding depth to the track with his raw and exploratory lyrical style. The song's opening reflects a blend of Radiohead-inspired elements, evident in the lyrical interpolation of 2001’s ‘Pyramid Song’, which quotes ‘Clapping Song’ by Shirley Ellis, probably via Tom Waits.
There is also a hint of 'Planet Telex' in there as well as what sounds like the laugh from b-side ‘India Rubber’
The song delves deep into introspective themes, encapsulating Lil Yachty's reflections. The lyrics traverse a range of reflective topics, from the challenges of narcotic use to a quest for self-awareness and the pursuit of a more enlightened, contented state of being. Yachty artfully paints a vivid portrayal of his internal world, striking a balance between the seductive appeal of hedonistic pleasures and a more profound yearning for true fulfilment and inner peace. The addition of Daniel Caesar enriches the track, lending a ghostly, hypnotic, almost gospel-like quality to it. This collaboration culminates in a cinematic crescendo, especially evident in the album's final three tracks, which seamlessly build to create a powerful and emotionally resonant conclusion.