
Or, “Britney Spears when she was bald,” as he describes it on “Pressure in My Palms,” featuring Slowthai and Vince Staples.

AMINE LIMBO LOGO MOVIE
Though the Aminé experience was founded on the idea of having fun-from catching a movie with “ Caroline” to nonchalant pink and yellow wigs in rural areas, and even a conversation about Jesus’s hoes in his latest visual for “Compensating” featuring Young Thug-with Limbo, his long-awaited second album, Adam Aminé Daniel is exploring the gray area before real adulthood hits. The rapper from Portland, Oregon has been creatively shi mmy-ing his way through the musical landscape with a scrumptious and rebellious sound that not only excites his loyal fanbase, but also shakes the culture. Were it shortened to the ten best tracks, this album could qualify for legendary status, but as it is, it serves as an exuberant summer project absolutely worth a listen.Ĭontact Morris Raskin at mraskin20 ‘at’ é is doing some different shit. Overall, “Limbo” is a wholly creative album that feels like a worthy addition to Aminé’s discography. Production on songs like “Can’t Decide” and “Compensating” feels like a perfect match for Aminé, with pounding kicks, creative hi-hats and snappy snares that allow the rapper to bring new vibes to each track. Production has never been an issue for Aminé - as “Caroline” blew the world away with its bouncy synths and sliding groove - and “Limbo” is no outlier. Tracks like “Burden,” “Kobe” and “Riri” feature spoken clips of Aminé ranging from six-second outros to entire tracks that give us an exclusive glimpse into his thought process, making the project feel all the more personal. Several times throughout the album, Aminé drops into a spoken-word monologue, which feels like a special trip into the rapper’s world, and humanizes the seemingly carefree celebrity.

That said, when the rapper slows down to zero, he manages to shine once again.

Without a skidding trap beat and bars packed with sly self-awareness, the rapper’s slower tracks feel insincere, not tongue-in-cheek. Going from fast-paced joyrides like “Pressure In My Palms” with Vince Staples and UK rapper slowthai to “Easy” with R&B crooner Summer Walker just two tracks later - it only highlights the flaws of the slower track. In contrast, rappers like Vince Staples and JID are known for their joviality and personality, making them a perfect match for Aminé, complimenting his strengths instead of pulling him into more uncomfortable territory on his solo project.Īs a rapper that thrives on a dynamic groove, Aminé can’t help but feel stifled when he’s paired with overly R&B-tinged tracks, which are scattered throughout the second half of the album. On “Fetus,” rap trio Injury Reserve ended up slowing the pace considerably with alternating snail-paced bars in comparison to the quicker tracks. Indeed, these features did end up being somewhat hit-or-miss, and those that couldn’t keep up with the album’s fast-paced aura ended up dragging the project down.

Every line feels as though it can be connected back to a central thesis, instead of just acting as time-filler this thematic cohesiveness is what differentiates Aminé from the rest of the hip-hop game right now, as his songs feel as if they hold more weight and gravity than many artists can now muster.Īminé’s immense stage presence presents a unique challenge for features on his album - they risk feeling boring or uninspired when going head to head with the Oregon rapper. In songs like “Woodlawn,” all of Aminé’s bars reflect a common theme - in “Woodlawn,” for instance, its theme triumphant escapism. While modern rap can often feel unfocused, Aminé has always been adept at finding a healthy balance between staying on topic and not beating listeners over the head with a single idea. Whether he’s joyously flexing about his escape from his hometown of Portland, paying his respects to basketball legend Kobe Bryant or thanking his mother for all she has done for him, Aminé maintains an effervescent presence and a boisterous personality throughout his album. 6, Aminé has dropped “Limbo,” a project that has some of the highest highs of 2020, but unfortunately can’t bring a lengthy 14 tracks worth of consistency.įrom start to finish, “Limbo” bursts with vigor and enthusiasm that seep into nearly every bar of the project. Returning triumphantly to the rap game on Aug. After exploding into the hip-hop scene in 2017 with the triple-platinum smash hit single “ Caroline,” Oregon rapper Aminé has enticed fans and critics alike with his boundless energy and rapid-fire punchlines.
