YNW Melly Has Melodies For Days On New Album "Young New Wave"

YNW Melly has a gift for melody. The Florida rapper broke onto the scene with the earworm 2018 single "Murder On My Mind," and for a couple years, he looked like a promising artist. Melly's career has been derailed by murder charges, but whenever he focuses on the music, he's good. Case in point, his latest album, Young New Wave. At 11 songs and 37 minutes, Melly avoids the bloated tracklists of so many of his hip-hop peers. It proves to be a smart call.

Young New Wave is heavy on guest features, but YNW Melly sets the tone by himself on the opener, "Fix That." The bouncy production is undercut by mournful guitars that compliment the rapper's vocals. Melly spends most of the album in this pocket. It makes for an exciting listen, but one that's cognizant of what could happen when one lives dangerously. Melly is, after all, looking at a possible life sentence in prison. "In the Benzy" is a fun posse cut with piano stabs and colorful guest verses from Lil 50 and BreezyLYN. "Unannounced" is another strong album track, as Melly SCY Jimm trade aggressive verses over a watery vocal sample. The former is really in his element whenever he softens up the edges of hard-hitting beats.

Not every song goes over perfectly. "The "772 Love Pt. 3 (Your Love)" is an excellent showcase for YNW BSlime and YNW4L, but Melly lays the Autotune on thick and winds up sounding like a poor man's Young Thug as a result. "Top Off" and "Ville" are much better examples of Melly in crooner mode. The former might feature the catchiest hook on the entire album. It's difficult to say Young New Wave will generate momentum for YNW Melly, given that he's behind bars, but the album does serve as a reminder of his talent.

What are your thoughts on this new album, Young New Wave, by YNW Melly? Do Melly's hooks still grab you? Do you feel like he's getting better as a rapper? Which of the album's tracks was your favorite? We want to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news on YNW Melly. Finally, stay with us for the most informative song posts throughout the week.

About The Author

Danilo is a writer based out of San Diego. He graduated from the Art Institute of Tucson with a B.A. in digital media, and has since forged a career as a pop culture journalist. He covered hip-hop for Heavy.com, Rhyme Junkies and PopMatters prior to joining HotNewHipHop.com. Danilo's top five is constantly changing, but Biggie and Slug from Atmosphere remain permanent fixtures. His favorite rap album of all time is "Late Registration" by Kanye West, and that stays the same.

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