“I’ve Been Livin’ on an Island Too” — Aminé Charmander Track Review
American rapper and hip-hop artist, Aminé, has just released his newest single for the first time since his sophomore album, Limbo, dropped back in 2020. Charmander is accompanied by a surreal music video oozing with Aminé’s unique charm and style. This could hint towards a new project on the horizon, as the rapper has been relatively quiet since Limbo.
Charmander begins with a light, fast-paced beat composed of nothing but a plucky synth popping away a repeating melody. It feels very playful and floaty while not being detached. Its consistent motion keeps it moving forward. There is then a short intro verse that sets the tone for the overall theme of this track — being alone and doing your own thing. We then enter the chorus, which is a repeated, sped-up vocal sample of someone saying “I’ve been livin’ on an island, too”. This harkens back to that message mentioned previously. He’s on his island, being his own person. This suggests the idea that you’re able to reinvent yourself. This shift to the chorus also brings what I believe to be a flute synth that I love. It adds a simple extra layer to the busy synth melody that gives an increased feeling of airiness before we slam full force into the verse and take off.
Comparatively from the chorus, the verse comes in and hits like a ton of bricks. The tempo buckles down, adding a nice rhythm filled with prickly high-hats and drum machine claps. This lends a snappiness that allows the beat to keep the momentum and feel substantial without overpowering the vocals or losing that sense of lightness. The verse itself, lyrically, while not delving into anything too deep, is very fun and is full of the quirks and wit that Aminé is known for. It doubles down on the theme, especially in its last few lines, of him priding himself on his individuality and his energy even away from the lenses of fame and fortune. As we move out of the verse, the track transitions back into a chorus as well as bringing back the intro verse as a bridge. This gives us a little break from the driving beat, allowing us a moment to breathe before we dive into another fast-paced verse.
The second verse brings back the sentiments brought up throughout the song of appreciating individuality and working on yourself, rather than focusing on what other people do, say, or think. Aminé once again comes through with some great bars with clever wordplay, neat partial rhymes, and excellent flow and delivery. The song then begins to close, echoing the statement that he would rather be alone than be with someone phony — someone who isn't true to themselves.
I have been itching for something new from Aminé for quite some time now and this is a promising single. While not his best track by any means, it just feels like him and you can tell he had fun experimenting with the beat. I would have loved to hear some more from his verses though. It felt like he was just getting in his groove and then he was cut off by the repetitive, and at points, nagging chorus sample. This song was quite short, clocking in at just over two minutes. I very much enjoyed it, but I would have loved to hear some more of Aminé actually rapping on this energetic beat. Charmander gives me more Good For You vibes than it does Limbo while still maintaining its own feel and being a bit fresh, which, in my opinion, bodes well for the project.
Overall, I'm very happy to have more Aminé content and I hope some more is coming in the near future!
