Swedish artist Bladee has never been one to stay within any sort of musical bubble. Ever since the release of his lo-fi, washed out, spacey 2014 debut mixtape “Gluee,” Bladee has been a continually evolving artist, both aesthetically and sonically.

Only three months after releasing his mixtape “Exeter” earlier this year, Bladee released his most recent studio album, “333.” The release was completely unannounced, aside from a post on Bladee’s personal Instagram, saying, “333 Out Now. 16 songs. Executive production whitearmor. Thank you :).”

Audibly, “333” is unlike anything Bladee has ever released before. The album opens with “Wings in Motion,” a powerful, melancholic ballad about Bladee’s battle with depression. The song begins with a lone-strummed guitar, closely accompanied by Bladee’s gentle vocals, more vulnerable than ever. The song builds to a beautiful yet understated climax before fading out as gently as it began. Lyrically, Bladee laments over the realization that though he may feel good right now, he is aware of the inevitability of his depressive crash, similar to a bird’s wings in motion.

The light, blissful tone of the album is the most striking difference between this project and Bladee’s previous works. These lighter, upbeat approaches are most evident on tracks such as “Mean Girls,” “Innocent of All Things” and “Oh Well.” Bladee’s departure from the sulking, depressive hip-hop from his past releases has allowed him to venture into more upbeat, sophisticated and mature sounds.

Bladee’s growth and maturation over his last several projects are evident on this album’s magnum opus, “Noblest Strive.” Bladee reflects on his past mistakes and faces his insecurities, audibly becoming okay with his flaws and learning to become more positive in the face of the unknown. Whitearmor’s production on the track is heavenly, as it creates a perfect soundscape for Bladee to use his unique voice as an instrument that adds so much to the song. 

“333” is a remarkably enjoyable listen, but it serves as more than that as well. It is a meditation on acceptance, assurance of hope for those who are struggling or have struggled. “333” is a beacon of positivity that could bring a smile to the face of the most hopeless man and a twinkle to the eye of the most wicked woman. It also happens to be fantastically fun, catchy and worth every second of its 38-minute run time. 

Final verdict: 9/10