When Amai’s music first graced the sleek pixels we call Potholes, I compared his sound to that of Exile’s work with Blu, with its chopped samples that said southern California. Fast-forward two months to the present and he returns with another producer by the name of Shrugs for the EP, Lighthouse or The Interlude Tape. Interlude is the appropriate word, given that none of these tracks creep into three minute territory. On rap albums the interludes are sometimes uninviting, better off as instrumentals, and other times, you’re frustrated that such a beat was wasted on something that can be dismissed as a musical intermission. These songs fall into the former category, a bit too unorthodox for a simple rapper to find a groove to hop into. Amai keeps with the mellow jazz sound he showcased on his album Sweet, while Shrugs puts a more electronic spin on the back-end of the project. Together, it’s a nice 12-minute listen that gives you a broader view of Amai’s abilities while giving just a glimpse of what Shrugs may be about.
Hit the skip to stream and download the EP.
Download: Amai & Shrugs – Lighthouse [Bandcamp]