The enigmatic Swedish rappers Yung Lean and Bladee are longtime collaborators, and they’re both members of the Drain Gang collective. Both of them have been busy lately. Last year, Bladee released two albums Crest with fellow Drain Gang member Ecco2k, and Spiderr, and he also appeared on Yung Lean’s Stardust mixtape. This year, Yung Lean and Bladee both appeared on the Skrillex track “Ceremony,” and Lean also made an appearance on Travis Scott’s blockbuster album Utopia. Today, Yung Lean and Bladee have come out with a new two-sided single, and the two tracks sound nothing alike.
On “Victorious,” Yung Lean and Bladee are on their rap shit, though their version of “rap shit” is a unique proposition. The two of them trade off verses, flexing mythically over crystalline pianos and itchy, erratic drum programming from Stockholm producer and fellow Drain Gang member Whitearmor. In the crisp black-and-white video from director Aidan Zamiri, Yung Lean and Bladee rock all-white outfits and brandish swords.
Whitearmor also produced “Bullets,” but it’s not a rap song at all. Instead, “Bullets” is dance-influenced synthpop, with Yung Lean and Bladee murmuring through heavy Auto-Tune over rushing breakbeats and pillowy keyboards. Both tracks are warped and disorienting, but they show very different sides of these two artists. Check out both of them below.
“Victorious” b/w “Bullets” is out now on World Affairs.
