Album Review: Limbo - Aminé

After the release of his 2017 debut album Good For You, critics and fans alike regarded Aminé as a refreshing and enthusiastic addition to the rap game. His lighthearted production, technically impressive flows, and oftentimes comedic lyricism differentiated his style from his colleagues’ at the time. His debut project wasn’t void of any shortcomings, however, as there was still plenty of room for the Portland native to improve as he moved forward in his musical career. Luckily, Limbo is a step in the right direction, as Aminé has improved nearly every aspect of his sound and production, offering a very solid West Coast trap album.

The first song opens with one of the many spoken interludes found throughout the project which often complement the themes and topics being discussed on their following tracks. “Burden” utilizes a high-pitched backing refrain to support Aminé’s bold and confident delivery. “Woodlawn” is a traditional trap banger with clap drums and a deep bass, all which fit well as this track turns into a “look how far we’ve come” reflection. After the “Kobe” interlude meditates on the tragic loss of the Black Mamba from earlier this year, “Roots (feat. JID, Charlie Wilson)” offers one of the more insightful cuts from the front end of this record, as Aminé and his accompanying features use more flowery language (quite literally, at times) to reflect on how their heritage has led them to who they are now.

“Can’t Decide” is a relatively straightforward track about uncertainties surrounding a somewhat complicated relationship. Aminé’s delivery pairs well the the hard-hitting bass backing his vocals, which lead to a smooth and memorable chorus. These themes of introspection and relationships continue on “Compensating (feat. Young Thug"), which is a fun but semi-forgettable track. As you know by now, I find Young Thug’s delivery very hit-or-miss, and unfortunately, his presence on this track doesn’t land for me.

“Shimmy” wears its influences on its sleeve, as Aminé incorporates samples from Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s 1995 hit song “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”. This track is braggadocious and confident, but again, there’s a depth lacking here which causes this song to fall short of the standard set earlier in the tracklist. This song does, however, transition nicely into the following track “Pressure In My Palms (feat. slowthai, Vince Staples)”, which is one of my favorite cuts on the entire album. Instead of being outshined by the features on this track, Aminé holds his own alongside slowthai and Staples, who are known for taking over tracks. This grimy and bass-heavy track is one of the most memorable out of the bunch.

“Riri”, one of the lead singles for this album, is underwhelming at best for me. I do, however, appreciate Aminé’s statement accompanying the release of this song’s music video, which was essentially that he wanted to show black joy in a time of such strife and struggle for so many. “Easy (feat. Summer Walker)” consists of seductive and compelling instrumentation, but again, the subject matter and depth of this track is surface-level, leaving me unsatisfied. Luckily, this lull in the middle of the project is short-lasting, and things end on a high note.

“Mama” is an extremely sentimental appreciation anthem from Aminé to his mom, jam packed with heartstring-tugging momma’s boy bars. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album just because of its relatability. “Becky” is extremely timely, as Aminé reflects on the prevalent racial injustice we find ourselves dealing with so often in this country, and “I’m fed up with a world that I know I can’t change” is just a heartbreakingly relatable bar. “Fetus” continues to deliver on the emotional level, as Aminé and rap trio Injury Reserve reflect on their future children. The sudden and unexpected loss of Injury Reserve member Jordan Groggs in June adds to the potency of this track, and a simplistic backing instrumental just works here. Things close off with “My Reality”, which consists of Aminé recognizing that he’s now living the life he once dreamed of. The luscious instrumental and traditionally comedic yet reflective delivery from Aminé are only made more effective by a surprise contribution from Daniel Caesar to close the album out. Overall, this is a very cohesive rap album with trap elements, and I’m glad to watch Aminé continue to develop artistically.

After not being blown away by the singles leading up to this release, I was glad the other tracks turned out as impressive as they did. Aminé is an artist to watch moving forward, as his ability to move seamlessly from sub-genre to sub-genre to make quality projects is very impressive. I enjoyed Limbo, and I highly suggest you give it a listen. Thanks for reading.

Favorite tracks: “Burden”, “Woodlawn”, “Roots”, “Pressure In My Palms (feat. slowthai, Vince Staples)”, “Mama”, “Becky”, “Fetus (feat. Injury Reserve)”, “My Reality”

SCORE: 7/10