Steve Lacy asks the real questions in “Oh yeah?”

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TOP 5 SONGS

5. The Feeling

This song puts you into a daydream almost instantly. Floating guitars, soft vocals, and Steve’s signature laid-back delivery make this one impossible not to sink into. Lyrically, it’s about falling for someone while constantly questioning where you stand with them. Are the feelings mutual, or are you simply reading too much into things? That uncertainty creates a bittersweet tension throughout the song that Steve captures perfectly. His ability to sound vulnerable without becoming overly dramatic is one of his greatest strengths, and this track showcases that beautifully.

4. Show You Me

“Show You Me” strips everything back. Soft acoustic guitars, delicate synth textures, and Steve’s understated vocals allow the songwriting to take center stage. The song revolves around wanting someone who isn’t yours yet and quietly hoping they’ll eventually see what you have to offer. It’s romantic without becoming overly sentimental, but Steve being Steve, he still sneaks in a few completely unhinged one-liners—like referencing “coochie stuck in my teeth”—that somehow fit naturally into the song and add a little humor without taking away from the emotion. It’s weird, funny, vulnerable, and unmistakably Steve Lacy.

3. Doom

“Doom” leans into Steve’s indie-rock side with fuzzy guitars, repetitive hooks, and a groove that sticks with you long after the song ends. Beneath its infectious energy is another story about missed opportunities. Steve finally works up the courage to acknowledge his feelings for someone, only to realize they’ve already moved on with someone else. There’s a bittersweet sadness hiding underneath the head-bobbing rhythm, making it one of those songs that’s equally fun and heartbreaking at the same time.

2. Pure Colour (feat. Erykah Badu)

This might be one of the most hypnotic songs on the entire album. The production feels ghostly and psychedelic, with vocals that seem to float over the instrumental rather than sit inside it. Steve explores the intoxicating side of love, the kind that feels incredible but slowly causes you to lose pieces of yourself. You know the relationship may not be healthy, yet there’s something impossible to walk away from. Erykah Badu’s presence elevates everything, adding even more depth and mystique to an already mesmerizing track. It’s haunting in the best possible way.

1. Is it cool? (Feat. SZA)

We get right into this one. No intro, no slow build, just zero to one hundred almost immediately. Somehow, Steve Lacy makes that work effortlessly. The production is smooth yet unpredictable, while Steve reflects on growing up and realizing he doesn’t actually know what healthy love looks like. He’s tired of casual flings and temporary connections and finally wants something real, even if he’s still figuring out what that means. SZA slides into the song perfectly, adding another layer of vulnerability that complements Steve’s perspective beautifully. It’s honest, messy, and incredibly relatable.

SONG BY SONG RATING

oh yeah? — 4/5
is it cool? (feat. SZA) — 4.5/5
the feeling — 4/5
pure colour (feat. Erykah Badu) — 4.5/5
show you me — 4/5
doom — 4/5
nothing — 4/5
lovesexdrugbomb — 4/5
nice shoes / in your world — 4/5
bebe — 4/5

RGM RATING

(B+)

Steve Lacy’s Oh Yeah? gives me everything I wanted from him and then some. The album feels playful, unpredictable, deeply personal, and unmistakably Steve. His signature blend of indie rock, alternative, psychedelic soul, and R&B creates a sound that remains entirely his own, refusing to fit neatly into one genre.

Sonically, the album constantly evolves. Some songs rely on stripped-back guitars and intimate vocals, while others explode into swirling synths, warped production, and dreamy psychedelic textures. Despite those shifts, everything feels cohesive. The album flows naturally from beginning to end, almost like drifting through different emotional states rather than separate songs.

Lyrically, Steve spends much of the project exploring love from every possible angle. There are songs about longing, uncertainty, emotional growth, toxic attraction, loneliness, and finally learning how to let yourself be vulnerable. Rather than presenting himself as someone who has everything figured out, Steve embraces the awkwardness of growing up and learning through mistakes. That’s what makes his music resonate so deeply—it feels honest.

The middle stretch of this album is especially incredible. My top five songs are practically stacked back-to-back, making it almost impossible not to keep listening once you reach that point. Between the standout features from SZA and Erykah Badu, Steve’s effortlessly cool songwriting, and production that feels both nostalgic and futuristic, Oh Yeah? is another reminder of why he’s become one of the most distinctive artists in alternative R&B today.

This is an album I’ll absolutely be coming back to.

Ileyah

Ileyah is a mom, a writer and a musician. She loves late nights and gluten free snacks.