Steve Lacy - Oh yeah? [Grey]

Steve Lacy's third album, Oh yeah?, arrives on grey vinyl with a poster, and it finds the Compton guitarist and producer at his most personal.

It is his first full-length since Gemini Rights, the Grammy-winning 2022 record that turned him into a household name. Once again Lacy wrote and produced the album himself, recording a good portion of it in Paris, and he has said he focused harder on lyrics this time rather than simply building beats and handing off hooks.

The guests are well chosen. SZA joins him on Is It Cool?, Erykah Badu lends her unmistakable presence to Pure Colour, and Cecile Believe turns up on Lovesexdrugbomb. The Feeling, released as a single, shows off the blend of R&B, bedroom pop and alt-soul that runs through the whole record.

Guitars and synths trade places constantly, and the lo-fi textures keep things warm and slightly hazy, as if the songs were caught in the moment rather than polished to a shine. Lacy has described it as the first album where he felt fully present, and that clarity shows in the writing.

With plenty of groove and a voice that sounds increasingly sure of itself, this is a natural next step for anyone who fell for his earlier work.