Music journalist Ikenna Offor talks about a couple of standout songs from “13 Months of Sunshine,” the most recent album by Portland rapper Aminé.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Portland rapper Amine has a brand new album out. It is known as “13 Months Of Sunshine.” We spoke in regards to the album with music journalist Ikenna Offor. He says it exhibits Amine’s maturity as an artist, drawing on his upbringing and his roots to create a sound that is assured and distinctive. We requested him to inform us about a couple of standout songs.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “NEW FLOWER!”)
LEON THOMAS: (Singing) You have grown your self a flower.
IKENNA OFFOR: So “New Flower!”, that opened the album on a wistful, calmly psychedelic, hazy observe, kind of like – you assume early Torry Mar (ph) with, like, a little bit of West Coast sunshine injected into it. Unbelievable tune.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “NEW FLOWER!”)
AMINE: (Rapping) …Do not imagine in a certain factor. However now he do ‘trigger my wrist just like the west wing.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Prezi.
AMINE: (Rapping) I needed to develop my very own backyard, plant the seeds, however I used to be faint hearted. The braveness it took to get this [expletive] began.
OFFOR: The verse is subdued, however emotionally acute. So like he stated, he reminisces again on when he was broke and did not have something. And in the remainder of the tune, it unfolds like somebody slowly unpacking a reminiscence field.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “NEW FLOWER!”)
THOMAS: (Singing) Within the backyard.
OFFOR: He felt that his grandfather was, like, a horticulturist. And so after college, that was, like, his kind of interest to remain out of hassle.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “NEW FLOWER!”)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Sustaining it, giving it water, stuff like that. That is how I develop up.
THOMAS: (Singing) And when the solar hits your pores and skin, I hope you realize…
OFFOR: He used to assist his grandfather within the backyard. So with “New Flower!”, it is like he is calling again to these recollections, but additionally presenting himself as, like, I got here from that. These are the recollections that formed me, like, as an individual, and that is the person I’ve turn out to be proper now.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “NEW FLOWER!”)
AMINE: (Rapping) Lifetime mates assume I consider ’em much less. Nope, I’m depressed. If individuals do not like me, then I do not get a verify, which implies each my dad and mom are stayin’ in debt. And I want to be the one one which carries the stress. If I had by no means received wealthy, possibly sundown would not have me sick. ‘Trigger that crash virtually toe-tagged my sis. Is it my fault that she even had that threat? However [expletive] what I can not management, the very best recommendation I am going to get from myself…
OFFOR: For me, “Historical past” is Amine in diarist mode. He is susceptible, (inaudible) to self reckoning and possibly even a little bit too self conscious.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HISTORY”)
AMINE: (Singing) You thought I liked you. I assumed I did too.
OFFOR: The beat feels skeletal. It is prefer it’s making room for the recollections to breathe.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HISTORY”)
AMINE: (Singing) …Confused. We let it take it is course, our hearts left on the ground.
OFFOR: It is a tune that simply appears like paging via an previous journal, however type of in reverse. It is like telling the story of this breakup in reverse. After which, like, all of the reckoning of the heartbreak, the errors he made, the factor that went proper, the factor that went improper, simply all put collectively. It is simply incredible. I like it. I simply like it a lot.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HISTORY”)
AMINE: (Singing) Each time you contact these sheets, each time, it is you and me. Searchin’ via the sheets and mattress whereas the solar seeps. Proper via your eyes, I see you are in love with me.
OFFOR: So “Raspberry Kisses” was my favourite tune on my first hear via the album. It is identical to that sugar rush of flotation, but it surely has a barely bitter aftertaste, which isn’t essentially a nasty factor right here.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “RASPBERRY KISSES”)
AMINE: (Singing) Raspberry kisses in my automotive. Now we’re greater than mates. I would need you’ll take me in, take me in, take me in. Raspberry kisses in my automotive…
OFFOR: The manufacturing is simply incredible. It is all like – it is like, you realize, these shimmering keys, the increase bap swing. Nearly like an early Dilla Loop (ph), however, like, if you happen to put it via a kaleidoscope, if that is smart. The vocals are like the sunshine, virtually tossed off, however, like, the emotion sneaks up on you. You’ll be able to hear, like, the sunshine wistfulness of the infatuation, after which you’ll be able to hear, like, the change the place the doubt begins to creep in.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “RASPBERRY KISSES”)
AMINE: (Singing) The best way you sittin’, you would sit a child up on it – child up on it. You bought some pictures on that cellphone, put a CC on it – CC on it. Yeah, I am from the wooden, I am a hood child, yeah. I do not make it work. I make it good, child, yeah. Crankin’ this like I am ’03 Jim Carrey, yeah. However I would by no means do my child…
OFFOR: I believe “13 Months Of Sunshine” is greater than only a new chapter. It is a arduous pivot. There isn’t any extra pastel-colored punch strains or hyper-pop, like, virtually, like, mem-ready flexes of, like, the early work. Right here, there’s textured introspection, Pan-African curiosity. The palette is simply radiant. He is chasing depth fairly than clout. So it is diasporic, and it is proudly Black.
DETROW: That is music journalist Ikenna Offor speaking about “13 Months Of Sunshine,” the most recent album by rapper Amine. It is out now.
Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional info.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts might differ. Transcript textual content could also be revised to right errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its authentic broadcast or publication. The authoritative document of NPR’s programming is the audio document.
