It's the dead of winter here in New York, so it feels like a bit of a tease listening to Yuna breathily wonder about the weather in Kuala Lumpur on "Places To Go," a brand-new single off her forthcoming third album Chapters. It's 79°F/26°C there, by the way. The song's DJ Premier-produced beat fills the spaces under her voice with warm textures and classic, golden era rap sensibilities. But the more I listen, the more I realize that only Yuna's eternally posi vibes could flip a deep yearning to be elsewhere into such a pleasant moment. What's the weather like this time of the year in Kuala Lumpur?/ This time of the year it's so beautiful/ I just need a place to call home, she sings over Premier's carefully employed scratches and vocal scratches. Expect more of Yuna's sentimental, thoughtful writing on Chapters, which will be released on May 20 by Verve Records.
“'Places to Go' is a song about when you’re growing into the person that you’re meant to be. Sometimes you go through all these things that will change you as a person and you find it hard to deal with all of these challenges,” Yuna told The FADER over email. “I was truly honored to work with legendary DJ and producer DJ Premier. I still can’t believe I have a track with Premier, it really is one of the best songs I’ve written in a long time.”
Listen to the track below, pre-order Chapters here, plus catch Yuna on her upcoming U.S tour.
