There has been all kinds of projects coming out in 2018, and the summertime has had some pretty quality stuff come out.

You have your bigger artists, your independent artists, and those artists that you keep to yourself despite needing to share how dope they are.

It might be “About Time” for you to check out YONAS’ newest album, his first in a few years.

About Time

From the jump I appreciated the concept of time and the impact that it plays on all of our lives, and how we permit it to do so. There are four tracks titled after after hours (“1AM”, “2AM”, and “4AM”).

“1AM” starts off with a very grand sound, one that you might want to sit down for because there’s an air of gravity to what you are about to listen to. I won’t spoil it anymore than that, but it sets up the next track, “All Rise”, quite nicely.

This second track is definitely one of those tone setters; it has that classic YONAS message of keeping up that hard work, and recognizing the work you’ve put in to get to where you are right now.

The tone switches again, but subtly after “Keep Up” and “2AM”. When “Ridin’ Through The City” and “Legacy” pop up, the two tracks are a mix of pop sounds meeting a message of longevity. YONAS has been spreading his message for a minute and that doesn’t look like that’s ending anytime soon.

There are elements of perseverance as well.

“Through The Fire” is a good example of this; perseverance is a big focus as YONAS delivers his verses in a very stream of consciousness way. “Waiting On You” has a similar feel and again, has that EDM meets Hip-Hop feel that is a staple of YONAS’ career.

“Everywhere We Go” has that “Ridin’ Through The City” vibe in that it’s a lighter track that is kind of like a built in break from the heavier songs.

This isn’t to say that the subject matter doesn’t offer something to think about, but it’s like a DJ mix: there are songs that are meant to pump up the energy, and there are tracks meant to nod your head and kind of relax/vibe out to. The latter is true for this track.

“4000 Stories” is a nice mashup of a track to vibe to combined with reflection on what YONAS has encountered so far. The guest verse from XV is definitely a dope addition; it’d be cool to see these two work together more in the future (maybe an entire mixtape together?).

“You F#cked Up” continues the tracks that are poppy and perfect for the summer. It definitely highlights YONAS’ singing skills, which adds to the entire project.

“Wait A Minute” is probably the best example of YONAS’ ability to switch up his flow, as it’s likely the fastest he raps on the project. A lot of the other songs are more focused on a sing-song delivery, but this track definitely has us hoping for more straight-up bars added to future work.

“King of the Summer” is pretty much what we’re talking about; it’s fun, has a very catchy and Top-40 sound, which is fine. It’s just not as rap heavy as we’re hoping for, but, YONAS is well-known for mashing up EDM and Hip-Hop effortlessly, which we definitely appreciate.

What’s funny is, “4AM” literally seems like an answer to our comment above in the first verse. It’s a really good close to a bouncy and enjoyable album.

Our verdict

“About Time” delivers right in time for the summer. It has a mix of poppy, summer-esque tunes that are broken up with a handful of rap tracks that deliver some solid verses.

It definitely requires a couple of listens to fully enjoy the sonic layers that YONAS lays down, but certainly not to the extent of “To Pimp A Butterfly” or “DAMN”.

It would make a lot of sense for you to add this to your summertime playlists, and to that list of records you should check out soon.

It sounds like YONAS might be touring later this year, so we all have some time to digest it and decide what tracks are our favorites.