| Lychee | ||||
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| EP by | ||||
| Released | 4 March 2022 | |||
| Genre | Alt-pop [1] | |||
| Length | 25:46 | |||
| Label | Republic | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Benee chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Stella & Steve | ||||
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Lychee is the third extended play by New Zealand singer-songwriter Benee. Released on 4 March 2022 by Republic Records, it reached the top 15 of the New Zealand Albums Chart.
Much of Lychee was developed and recorded in Los Angeles with a number of well-known producers, specifically Kenny Beats, Greg Kurstin, and Rostam. [2] [3] [4] Benee had never previously collaborated with the latter two musicians. [5] She also initially worked on the project in her home country of New Zealand with regular collaborator Josh Fountain. [2] [3] [5] However, she preferred engaging in the creative process in Los Angeles due to stringent COVID-19 lockdown measures in place at the time in New Zealand, which made her feel hopeless and at a loss for song ideas. [2] [3] She additionally considered collaborating with Fountain, though a positive experience, to not push her out of her comfort zone enough. [5]
Benee named the EP after the fruit of the same name as she was having trouble choosing a satisfactory title, so ultimately simply went with the name of something she loved. [5]
The EP opener, "Beach Boy," was described by Benee as a "pure fantasy" set in Los Angeles. It lyrically discusses the conflicting feelings of the early stages of a relationship, where one may simultaneously be contempt with being alone and also still crave romance. [1] [2] [4] Its indie sound was inspired by The Japanese House. [5] Second track "Soft Side" contains hyperpop and house influences, while Benee made "Hurt You, Gus" to channel the energy she felt during New Zealand's lockdowns. [2] [3] "Never Ending" incorporates elements of rock music and is followed by "Marry Myself," which has a lighter tone that is infused with drum and bass. [2]
"Doesn't Matter" is a "mellow" song surrounding Benee's attempts to cope with her mental health issues, including an OCD diagnosis, and how people often misunderstand the realities of mental health problems. [2] [5] [6] It is another song she created to channel her lockdown anxiety and was one of the first made for Lychee overall. [2] [3] [5] The final track, "Make You Sick," is a "trippy" experimental electronic song with freestyled lyrics. [1] [2] Originally thirteen minutes in length and intended for a New Zealand runway show prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was eventually cut down to just under seven minutes. [1]
Prior to the release of Lychee, two of its tracks were released as singles: "Doesn't Matter" in October 2021 and "Beach Boy" in February 2022. [1] [3] [4] [6] "Never Ending" was released as a third single concurrently with the EP. [3]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Beach Boy" | Kurstin | 3:12 | |
| 2. | "Soft Side" |
| Kenny Beats | 2:24 |
| 3. | "Hurt You, Gus" |
| Fountain | 2:51 |
| 4. | "Never Ending" |
| Rostam | 3:57 |
| 5. | "Marry Myself" |
| Kurstin | 3:02 |
| 6. | "Doesn't Matter" |
| Fountain | 3:23 |
| 7. | "Make You Sick" |
| Fountain | 6:47 |
| Total length: | 25:46 | |||
Credits adapted from TIDAL. [7]
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [8] | 13 |
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