New York native YL has shared a new album called Don't Feed The Pigeons. By capturing quintessential New York sounds but putting his own refreshing twist on them, YL has been steadily carving out a niche with records like 2022's Soda Club Deluxe and In Memory Of with Zoomo. Additionally, he is one of the founders of independent label RRR Music Group, which has been prolifically releasing records from YL as well as underground standouts Starker and Zoomo. His latest offering, Don't Feed The Pigeons, is a personality-rich 19-song LP characterized by YL's laid-back yet confident flows, cinematic lyricism, and soulful, focused production from Eyedress, Dylvinci, Grimm Doza, Zoomo, Jonboyice, and more. The album presents a vivid, detail-oriented take on the world around him, and in doing so immerses the listener in YL's New York during its 35-minute run time.
With its rich production and relaxed yet poised flow "Open Arms" introduces a sort of unconcerned charisma that appears frequently throughout the record- and makes it all the more re-playable. Standout track "The Proof" finds him taking on a more urgent tone vocally atop raw, sampling instrumentation, giving the track a cathartic edge. The gleaming instrumentation and detail-rich, observational lyricism of "Play Dead" paint vivid, immersive pictures for the listener. "Illusions" takes on a grittier approach with distorted 808s rumbling beneath sleek keyboards, adding dynamics to the luscious sheen of Don't Feed The Pigeons. The album's mercurial closer "Dry" creates a surreal atmosphere with its expansive samples and crystalline keys, as YL drops some of his most reflective lyricism on the record, finishing Don't Feed The Pigeons on a high note.
While rooted in classic New York sounds, YL's Don't Feed The Pigeons presents a refreshing perspective on these influences. It's a focused project that finds YL poised on the mic, dropping line after line of potent, introspective observations on his environment atop rich, cinematic production.
