Yung Leo has been an artist to watch for a while now, and Days B4 ET [pt. 1] is yet another reason to keep an eye on his musical output.
At only three tracks long, this all too brief EP offers the same brand of ethereal trap (I’m borrowing that phrase from its genre tags) that Leo’s fans are well familiar with at this point. However, while reverb-drenched bangers like ‘Persistance’ and ‘Revelations’ have succeeded in bringing Leo’s angelic voice to a sizeable audience, this new EP achieves an entirely different goal: to cement the rapper as a recognisable face in a very large crowd.
I believe that Leo’s music is well worth talking about, not only because he is so intrinsically involved with every facet of his brand (production, engineering, artwork) but because he is a truly phenomenal songwriter. ‘Let Go’ in and of itself would be worth discussion, it’s a cold, dissonant piece of music loaded with computerised dread. Hookier than it initially seems, this self-produced track leaves an immediate impression that should be more than enough to convert new listeners. ‘LAX’ employs co-production from fellow RBIM member o9zane, it’s a bubblier track with plenty of pop appeal.
The last track here, ‘Oasis’, is devoid of vocals, instead choosing to cruise along at a pleasant pace. A meditative conclusion to this seven minute project, it offers time to reflect on an EP that despite its brevity can easily be considered some of the best music that 2021 has offered so far. I’m very much looking forward to the second installment of the series, whenever that may be.
Listen to the EP below.
Follow Leo on Twitter here.
– Chris (@108seraph)
108MICS 