Finnish Rapper View Shares His Confessional Album 'Leave A Comment'

Unequivocally inspired, View aka Juuso Ruohonen, combines murky beats with hazy percussion and hard-hitting vocals on his debut album, ‘Leave a Comment’. Exploring the blurred boundaries between ecstasy, depression and addiction, the young Finnish rapper fuses progressive elements of trap, dub step and grime with a rarely seen authenticity and mystique. A true testament to the aspiring wordsmith’s versatility, Ruohonen’s first album takes you on a journey into a shadowy yet serene world. At times gloomy and intense and at others melodic and uplifting, View has truly hit the ground running with a signature sound deriving comparisons with Travis Scott, Giggs and A$AP Rocky.

The first track ‘Do It Again’ opens with light melodies, rumbling synths and a vocal sample introducing the title of the project ‘Leave a Comment’. Utilising traditional vocoder effects synonymous with the genre, we are first presented with the voice of Juuso. At times dark and brooding the aspiring wordsmiths changes up the pitch demonstrating an impressive vocal capacity. On the next track ‘Pour Me Up’ the atmosphere is completely revamped. Pulsating bass and looming vocal hooks pave the way for a raw and powerful brass-inspired synth refrain. With ‘Trippin’ Sober’ we hear grime influences blend seamlessly with melodic and soulful harmonies. The end result is an electrically-charged ballad simply oozing infectiousness and grandeur. As our promising rapper narrates his experiences with stimulants and depressants, we are drawn into his world. With highly addictive rhythms and a contagious flow, the soundscape is evocative of his struggles with addiction and how this can be channeled into something healthy and inspiring.

Transitioning to a more light-hearted interlude ‘Deeper (Skit)’ provides a very brief but airy breather from the intensity of View’s realm. This is starkly contrasted by the following track ‘Bad Habits’, which immediately transports you to an intense and forceful setting; expect eerie melodies, high-octane percussions and an absolutely filthy dub step-inspired vocal hook. With a guest feature from ‘Kasmir’ we see a more vulnerable side to Ruohonen on his oxymoronically elegant and explicit single: ‘Say It Again’. Drawing our sonic journey to a close, the final track on the album ‘Long Night’ returns to View’s majestic, raw sound, exuding energy and the feeling that all of life’s hardships are surmountable.

Truly a baptism of fire, ‘Leave a Comment’ is by no means a collection of singles; it is a voyage into the unknown. Refusing to conform to a single genre, Juuso intimately and openly bares his soul through his enthused lyricism, melded rhythms and celestial melodies. It is clear to see why View is swiftly shaping up to be one of the most promising acts to come out of Scandinavia. Expect great things from this burgeoning Finnish rapper!

The album is out now via the Finnish label VILD.

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