Observations From Amine's ONEPOINTFIVE

Ohhhhhhhhh! See now I finally get it! He's a clever rascal, that Amine!  I was sitting here for weeks trying to figure out what the title for the Portland, Oregon rapper's 2nd album (mixtape maybe?) meant, but NOW I see it all clear and crystal!  The 2nd project from one of my favorite rappers of 2017 (or, more so rapper who dropped one of my favorite projects of 2017) has put out a new project (well, at least he did over 6 weeks ago... sorry for the late post!) and as you can imagine, (my) expectations were high!  After playing back his 2017 album Good For You for the better part of a year (yes, on this side we actually KEEP PLAYING great projects that we like), I was excited to see what was to come next of the "Caroline" rapper. Then, after getting a Spotify exclusive email on the album's release, my ears perked up and my eyes widened... I had to listen to what one of the most diverse and interesting rappers of the last year had to offer. Now I'm sure I confused some people when I say I finally understood what the album's title meant (you know, like, 10 seconds ago? Come on people, keep up!), so allow me to explain. If Good For You is 1, then that would make ONEPOINTFIVE, well, uhm... 1.5. Is Amine building up for a number 2 before the end of the year?  My conspiracy theory brain thinks so, and if that does somehow end up being the case, then maybe we could also get some hints for what to expect from Amine's #2 from this album, ONEPOINTFIVE, which for the record, is a pretty fun listen. I'll detail below.

Mixtape Vibes... Building Up Towards Something Else?


One thing I've always liked about Amine is that he's always good for fun and eclectic sounds that don't stray too far away from the conscious and real content that he is just as capable of delivering. The entire ONEPOINTFIVE album (tape) offers back to back to back short snippets of songs that seem almost like previews; songs not quite long enough to fill out an album, but long enough to get you excited for something else to come. You hear a lot of "songs for the girls to play in the car on their way to the club/bar"; easy listening that is enjoyable and not overbearing in terms of content or song length. But I am on to Amine... his abilities are not fully showcased on this album (mixtape)... and I am calling that he drops something bigger before the year ends!

Best Song Is "Shine"

(*I do not own any of these songs, or the rights to them*)    

I mean if there's one song on this project that I absolutely have not been able to stop playing (not to mention me and my girl have been jamming to it nonstop), it's the quick, "catch lightning in a bottle"-like vibe, "Shine". Fellas, this is the perfect song to play for your lady if you're on the fence about taking a chance and she's sitting there being a beautifully patient and amazing young angel that she always is wondering why you're being so weird about it (oh... just me? Well then). But if it's not, then this is the song for you! Jokes aside, If Amine wanted a radio hit at this still very early stage in his (commercial at least) career, then "Shine" could quite possibly be that song. "Shine" tops off an album of fun with relationship values and undertones that make those special moments with your boo even more fun... a soundtrack to play to the perfect moments that sum up time with your loved one.

Also, "STFU 2" is a pretty great song, probably the 2nd favorite on this album for yours truly; a harder take (especially considering the original "STFU" song from Good For You) from a man who is normally light hearted and easy going, adding another fascinating layer to an artist that always comes with surprises. Not much to read into with this album, just a short, quick and painless listen that definitely has some replay value and moments from the innovative Oregon rapper. Though ONEPOINTFIVE didn't seem like much in terms of length and depth, it could quite possibly hold fans over until Amine finishes up his next journey of a project that we will all (definitely I) be eagerly waiting to hear.           












      

Observations From Amine's Good For You

Admittedly... I've been sleeping on new releases, BIG TIME. Albums worth checking out this year seem to have been scarce. Though Jay dropped, Kendrick dropped, and Eminem is (rumored to be) releasing right around the corner, hip hop has been a little bit dry this year in terms of the big established names dropping, but one up and comer from Portland, Oregon is attempting to change that "up and comer" title to household name fairly quickly. His album Good For You had seemingly dropped out of nowhere and suddenly grabbed blogs by the throats with fun and vigorous enjoyment (kind of ironic how that works, isn't it?). The album's lead single "Caroline" has already been certified 3 times platinum by the RIAA, peaked on Billboard's Hot 100 at number 12, and even found Amine a record deal with Republic Records. See the damage a song can do nowadays?  Oh, the age of the single. However, single success does not impress me anymore seeing as anyone and their mother can do it nowadays... So what does this mean for Anime's Good For You?  Was it indeed Good For You?  I'll be breaking down a few of the high points of the project, below.


Hip Pop - It's Okay To Have Fun!


For so long I've bashed the one-track-minded (quite literally) artists of today that all sound the same and seemed to promote the same goals; platinum singles, auto-tuned filth and enough syrup to give Aunt Jemima a heart attack WITHOUT sipping any of it. But Anime's Good For You is a gasp of fresh air, almost completely drowning in the syrup before I'm able to sneak a nostril up and above the Codeine infested waters that are today's hip hop climate. Anime puts fun in every lyric, bouncing around on beats as if he'd just invaded a rich kid's birthday party and claimed first dibs on the bouncy house ("Hero", "Yellow", "Wedding Crashers", etc.). The "Wedding Crashers"' instrumental feels like you're dancing with Elmo and Big Bird all down Sesame Street with the rest of the kids off the block, and even Oscar's grouchy ass joins in (oh yes, it's that mood-inducing). His ode to the Spice Girls ("Spice Girl") is another fun one to reminisce to 90's pop to; the pure piano keys in the bridge build up to a gleeful flute followed by some lively drums that add the extra pop needed to round out the record.


Serious Undertones Darkly Shadow A Fun Loving Amine


On the surface, Good For You is a dancing field of daisies, an album that you'd pop in while wandering through a field of flowers with no worry of tomorrow. The lightheartedness and delightful weirdness of Amine is showcased in an ultimately stress-free environment that sets it's goal from the absolute jump of the record. The pop of each musical styling Amine offers properly backs him enough for you to understand that not every song on the album offers happiness, and that's okay. On "Turf", a sobering, somber number that is Two-Face to the rest of Good For You (Harvey Dent), Amine finds himself reflecting on his past, and realizing that home isn't for him, ultimately leading to his "moving out" moment. Just listening to the atmospheric pads surround the track sound eerily like finally taking a look around an empty house that you once called home, and finally walking out for good; like the last episode of Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. "Beach Boy" is catchy in it's upbeat piano and spacey background "Oooooo's", but deceiving in it's message, like making your final thought a good one, reflective and subtractive of regrets, most notably in the end ("I don't know when I'm gonna die, my watch can't tell the time, hopefully there's some hope in me, I won't trip if it's meant to be").


(*I do not own these videos, songs, or the rights to them*)

Overall, Good For You is indeed... Good For You! Amine brings funk, positivity, realization, fun, and uniqueness in a heavily watered down genre. Amine's musical prowess is proven more in the fact that he wishes to use vocal tones and funk instruments to provoke more of a response rather than auto-tune and drug talk. His light-hearted attitude throughout the album (minus a couple of songs) isn't enough to make you want it to stop, using strictly positivity, but in different ways, and different places, different shades, and different spaces. His sense of humor, vocal range, and cool attitude shine throughout the album, and they make Good For You a must listen. Anime gives his very own take on girls, drugs, fun, money, deep thoughts, and much, much more; all of it being very good... and Good For You.