Yohiness has been fly lately, and Redbull ain’t the reason why. Roll up some Kush Mints and take a cruise through the city with his album, Tutorials, as your soundtrack. The sequencing on this project will take you on a scenic drive from start to finish. It plays out like a night out on the town, almost encouraging you on its own to get dressed up and indulge in something while you listen.
Overall, there’s a laid back West Coast bounce style to the project; certainly a late-night blunt cruisin’ vibe as well. In tracks like, “Blue Saphire” the beat sparkles like the lights in the city skyline. The production by Ian Sandico and Black Cat matches this whole feeling throughout every track.
There is also a duality to this album that plays to both sides of the typical Northwest weather. Tutorials will be great for those long sunny summer days, as well as the gloomy grey season. Something about this environment produces that unique sound that seemingly fits into any time of the year.
How Federal Way Influences The Way Yohiness Writes
The night before Yohiness released his album, Tutorials, he held an intimate listening party at ETC Tacoma. On the cover of the album, the fine print states that the “songs were written by a bunch of homies in the studio.”
You could tell that the whole project was a family affair. A few of the other artists and producers involved were present. His lady and son were right by his side, and the room itself full of friends and close members of the community. You could feel the collective energy growing as each song played.
The way the song lineup in Tutorials is laid out makes it so the energy builds in the first half. Further on, the atmosphere smooths out and energy relaxes some. In the beginning you have a flashy run of tracks like “VVS,” “Ross,” and “BIG.” Those lead into the sultry second half with tracks like, “Do Your Dance,” and “Vibin Out.” As Yohiness would say, “A lil wine, a couple candles, yeah, you’ll be vibin’ out.”
