By Liam Syrvalin, Contributor
[Interscope Records, 2022]
Rating: 6/10

Key tracks: Up off X, Krank, Talk

The overnight rise of Noah Smith, otherwise known as Yeat, is a symbol of the new age of popular music. His carefree lyrics and braggadocious nature featured on his previous albums combined with his mysterious desire to stay out of the spotlight have made him an attention-grabbing spectacle for Gen Z music consumers. Lyfë is a new and fun, yet somewhat stale addition to Yeat’s catalog, with the main issue of coherency within albums still being prevalent. The “hits” of Lyfë seem to be packed at the start, leaving the closing of the album a bit bland. Although Smith attempts to explore new styles within his genre on Lyfë, he fails to make these sounds fit completely within his style, and sometimes they create awkward listening experiences for the audience.

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“Flawlëss” is the brazen opening of Lyfë, with a feature of Lil Uzi Vert, highlighting Yeat’s growing popularity within the industry. The carefree lyrics, repetition, and beat are classic examples of what made Smith so popular in the digital age of music, though the Uzi feature leaves much to be desired. The lyrics of Yeat are divine poetry to the right listener, with lines such as “Take a perc in the Tonka, that’s it”, and “Money on my Kool-Aid, that mean my money sweet” serving as 21st century Shakespeare for the masses. Uzi’s feature on the song serves to give Lyfë better recognition, but the feature is somewhat forgettable overall. 

“Can’t stop it” is a rare example of experimentation that works extremely well within the album. A villainous acoustic drum beat kicks off the song, and instantly, a feeling of horror fills the rest of the 3 minute duration. Yeat still stays in his effortless flow, giving the track an evil feel while still quintessentially being a Yeat song. 

For the day one Yeat fan, there are still tracks on this album that call back to his original sound. “Up off X” is an unapologetic return to Smith’s premier style, while “Talk” continues the Tonka Truck obsessiveness that made his lyrics entertaining. Both of these tracks, as well as a few others on Lyfë feel like they belong right in the middle of his 2021 release, Up 2 Më. 

All in all, Lyfë is a solid addition to Yeat’s explosive catalog, but there is still much to be desired from the rapper. The experimentation in some of the tracks makes it clear that Yeat wishes to try different styles and flows within the album; It rarely works well though, almost surprising the listener when it does. However, one must take Yeat’s music at face value – it’s not complex, it’s not super deep, and it’s barely working poetry within the lyrics; it’s also hilariously fun. At a party, Yeat works like a charm. In the car, on a Tuesday, driving to pick up your prescription, it doesn’t. Lyfë is a fine album that doesn’t exactly know what it wants to be like Up 2 Më did, but mark my words, when Yeat’s Lyfë comes out on Court street, you’ll likely be bumping right along. One thing, however, is absolutely certain: Tonka needs to hire Yeat in their advertising department.

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