Moh Lhean

The voice of Yoni Wolf is unmistakable; slightly nasal, simultaneously monotone and melodic, with a robotic precision. If his diction wasn’t so precise, it could almost be mistaken for an instrumental tone rather than a human voice. Wolf and company—under the name WHY?—were prominent carriers of prog-hop in the early 2000s, and they’re still some of the best at it. On Moh Lhean, the galloping beats, swept by dark, lush synths, interact like machinery with clear purpose and awe-inspiring movement. Even when horns come in on “Consequence of Nonaction,” they don’t feel like a layered afterthought, but more a distinct part of the sonic structure, used sparingly. The lyrical intent is similar—the simplicity of Wolf’s phrases creates vivid, straightforward scenes, like in “The Water” when he sings, “After the hospital we head to the shore/I fill up the raft, yeah/You cover your cast with plastic bags.” There’s no filler, no moment where the album gets lazy and lets ethereal synth sounds pass the time. It’s intentional, and it’s very, very good.