KAYTRANADA – “Ain’t No Damn Way!” review

Port-au-Prince, Haiti born albeit Montréal, Québec, Canada raised DJ, producer, singer/songwriter & rapper KAYTRANADA returning for his 4th studio LP. Starting as 1/2 of The Celestics alongside his younger brother Lou Phelps, he’s has been widely recognized as being amongst the most popular & in-demand producers in all of music for the past decade working with everyone from Mobb Deep to Mach-Hommy. KAYTRADAMUS even has 3 solo efforts under his belt in 99.9% through XL Recordings, the RCA Records-backed Bubba, the eponymous debut from KAYTRAMINÉ & more recently Timeless last summer. 13 months have passed since the predecessor & Ain’t No Damn Way! has arrived 4 days after it’s announcement.

“My Life” by Latrelle featuring Kelis gets sampled for the deep house intro with “Space Invader” throwing hints of contemporary R&B in the mix whereas “Championship” continues the house vibes with an 115 second instrumental piece. “Home” sticks out as one of my favorite beats here due to it’s carefree atmosphere just before “Target Joint” pulls inspiration from the funky house subgenre.

Nearing the end of Ain’t No Damn Way!’s first half, “Things” samples “Things Fall Apart” by Steve Monite for a futuristic house composition with some synthesizers leading into “backstABs” getting back in his deep house bag instrumentally. “Good Luck” definitely feels reminiscent to my all-time favorite production duo The Neptunes in terms of sound, but then “Shine Your Light for We” samples “Black Boy” by Cappadonna & makes it into a disco highlight of it’s own.

“Goodbye Bitch!” combines characteristics of both synth funk & funky house for an infectious beat that won’t make you stop nodding your head while the deep house cut “Don’t Worry Babe (I Got U Babe)” makes an irresistibly soulful use of sampling. Speaking of which: The last song “Do It (Again!)” after “Blax” continues to display KAYTRA’s ear for chopping up samples, this time repurposing “Let’s Do It Again” by TLC.

As opposed to having a cast of guests performing over his instrumentals like on all 3 of his predecessors, KAYTRANADA returns out of nowhere 14 months later for Ain’t No Damn Way! as a welcoming return to his electronic roots. Ditching the primary alternative R&B influences of Timeless last summer to emphasize the deep house side of it’s predecessor, he gets to sprinkle additional hints of funky house & synth funk over the 30+ minute course.

Score: 3.5/5

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Aminé – “13 Months of Sunshine” review

This is the 3rd studio LP from Portland, Oregon rapper, singer/songwriter & music video director Aminé. Making his full-length debut in the summer of 2017 with the Republic Records-backed Good for You & fulfilling his contract with them releasing the sophomore effort Limbo during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns. KAYTRAMINÉ made their eponymous debut in the summer of 2023, now joining 10K Projects to embark on 13 Months of Sunshine coming off a handful of well-received singles.

“New Flower” produced by DJ Dahi & FNZ was a funky ass intro to get the ball rollin’ talking about success being all he wants whereas “Feels So Good” takes a rawer approach instrumentally flexing that the drank & his girl got him feeling great. “Sage Time” awkwardly admits to having depression soon as he nuts dabbling with hip house just before “I Think It’s You” tropically chooses to think about everything he’s lost.

Meanwhile on “Cool About It”, we have Aminé crossing over funk & house trying to maintain his composure with this woman he wants to sleep with leading into “History” taking a shot at alternative R&B talking about the previous run-ins he’s had with his partner. “Vacay” brings back the hip house vibes expressing his desire to get away from everything for a certain amount of time while “Familiar” blends alternative R&B, hip house, deep house, glitch pop, microhouse, chillwave & French house showing obsession for his romantic interest.

“Doing the Best I Can” gets the 2nd half of 13 Months of Sunshine going by hooking up some pianos singing that he’s trying when all of us are, but then “Temptations” soulfully talks about not knowing what he has until it’s eventually taken from him. “Be Easier on Yourself” opts for a slicker approach to the best advising not to be so hard on themselves while “Raspberry Kisses” asks for a woman to take him in now they’ve sealed the deal.

The title track starts the final leg with a 2-parter refusing to put shame on his name since he was named after his grandfather while “Changer” explains he has to be at terminal 7 when his girl wants to have dinner at 7, hoping the love he has for her doesn’t change. “Arc de Triomphe”samples “Has it Come to This?” by The Streets to make this hip house/UK Garage fusion wanting to know what everyone else on & “Images” featuring 454 ends by calling days in our life moments in time.

When you take in consideration of Aminé descending from Eritrean-Ethiopian heritage, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise to many that 13 Months of Sunshine acts as an overt love letter to his African ancestry. The production shows influences of alternative R&B, hip house, deep house, glitch pop, microhouse, chillwave, French house, UK garage, speed garage & 2-step refraining from having guests join him for most of the performances to his ancestors.

Score: 4/5

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KAYTRANADA – “Timeless” review

KAYTRANADA is a 31 year old DJ, producer, singer/songwriter & rapper born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti albeit raised in Montréal, Québec, Canada starting as 1/2 of The Celestics alongside his younger brother Lou Phelps. For the past decade, he’s has been widely recognized as being amongst the most popular & in-demand producers in all of music working with everyone from Mobb Deep to Mach-Hommy. KAYTRA even has 2 solo efforts under his belt in the debut 99.9% through XL Recordings & the RCA Records-backed Bubba as well as the eponymous debut from KAYTRAMINÉ last summer. KAYTRADAMUS gained more exposure after opening for The Weeknd during the After Hours ‘til Dawn Tour & is capitalizing by releasing a 3rd album.

“Pressure” is an instrumental opener to the LP with synthesizers & danceable groove whereas “Spit It Out” by Rochelle Jordan sings about reflecting on what she had with a former partner of hers over a spacious beat. The Celestics team up on the tropical “Call U Up” admitting that they don’t wanna hit up their current romantic interests in fear of falling in love with them, but then the funky “Weird” by Durand Bernarr confronts his lover for acting strange around him.

We get some hip house vibes on “Dance Dance Dance Dance” for a couple minutes prior to Don Toliver poppin’ in for the atmospherically smooth “Feel a Way” confessing to being caught up in his ways & guarding one’s love. “Still” by Charlotte Day Wilson luxuriously & passionately professes the attraction that she still feels towards a man that she cries thinking of while “Video” by Ravyn Lenae brings the synths back into the fold telling her partner to show her which way he wants her to go & recording it.

“Seemingly” nears the end of Timeless’ first half sampling Don Blackmon just before “Drip Sweat” by Channel Tres turns the house music influences back up singing about a man who thinks he can come in the night telling him to jump off the ledge. “Hold On” by Dawn Richard asks if we go back to days when lights use to dance & when love wasn’t scared yet over a house beat ahead of the hypnotically entrancing “Please Babe”.

Meanwhile on “Stepped On”, we have KAYTRA going for a synth-based direction instrumentally so he himself can demonstrate his singing chops addressing something wrong with him while “More Than a Little Bit” by Tinashe has a dreamy alternative R&B flare to it talking about her heart being frozen. “Do 2 Me” by Anderson .Paak & SiR links the pair up for a charming pop rap/R&B hybrid that is until the summery “Witchy” by Childish Gambino sings his heart out about missing something for a while.

“Lover/Friend” by Rochelle Jordan was a solid deep house/R&B single head-on asking if this person really wants a relationship with her while the mellow “Wasted Words” by Thundercat starts the deluxe run encouraging to rise above it all. The song “Snap My Finger” by PinkPantheress is this danceable R&B jam getting an ex of her’s off her mind while the penultimate track “Stuntin’” by Channel Tres goes contemporary R&B feeling the best. “Out of Luck” by Mariah the Scientist ends the album futuristically singing about having no luck left.

Much has changed since Bubba nearly 5 years ago representing a shift in collaborations & his RCA sophomore effort here marks a superior return along with my new 2nd favorite full-length of his behind the debut. Primarily because Timeless has a stronger guest-list, the overall feeling of it takes inspiration from 80s new wave, he’s using newer equipment & expands his house/R&B sound to newer heights.

Score: 4/5

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KAYTRAMINÉ – Self-Titled review

KAYTRAMINÉ is a newly formed MC/producer superduo consisting of Portland, Oregon emcee, singer/songwriter & music video director Aminé as well as born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti albeit raised in Montréal, Québec, Canada producer & deejay KAYTRANADA. One of whom I was introduced to in the 2017 XXL Freshman Class & the other notable for being 1/2 of The Celestics with his younger brother Lou Phelps The first time we heard these guys cross paths was when Kaytradamus laced 3 joints off Aminé’s sophomore mixtape Calling Brío, but are reuniting to release a full-length debut of their own.

“Who He Iz” is a groovy opener to the album calling himself misunderstood & living where the coochie live whereas “letstalkaboutit” featuring Spreadie Gibbs discuss their wealth over a glistening instrumental. “4eva” gives off a more hip house vibe to it with some afro house & contemporary R&B undertones refusing to let anything come between his forever leading into “Westside” works in some string sections talking about being hot & cold at the same time not wanting to be compared to these fools out here.

Moving on from there, we have Big Sean coming into the picture for “Master P” blending these hi-hats with a vocal sample as they tell everyone in the game right now to watch it just before “Rebuke” is a pop rap/contemporary R&B ballad with some elements of neo-soul sprinkled in calling himself the type that you remember when you go to sleep. “Sossaup” talks about upgrading his bitch with a wavier beat in the fold, but then “STFU3” continues the trilogy that Good for You started & 1.5 continued with a J Dilla inspired sound.

The song “Ugh Ugh” brings back the synths talking about hustling 5 days of the week except for balling on Fridays & cuddling with his girl on Sundays while the penultimate track “Eye” featuring WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg goes back into hip house turf 1 last time so the trio can discuss having to get focused locked in & never being unbelievable. “K&A (KAYTRANADA & Aminé)” ties up the album by talking about doin’ what we want ’cause we want accompanied by an impeccably smooth ass instrumental.

If this is only the beginning of what’s to come from KAYTRAMINÉ, then it has me anticipating what’s in store from them in the future because this is a highly enjoyable debut album from the duo. KAYTRANADA’s production gives heavy summer vibes, Aminé gives some of the finest performances of his career, the feature list is brief yet tight & I’m really amazed by simply how well everything flows together throughout the 34 minutes.

Score: 4.5/5

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