There’s no question that the weather in New York for the summer thus far has been more unusual than Amanda Bynes’ Twitter/Instagram accounts. So constants like music from Kanye shaking up the internet and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis making dumb bank are welcomed in order to preserve some sense of a reality. Another constant you can count on is a perfect soundtrack to match the cool breeze on a summer night for your late night drives, courtesy of Mr. No Sleep himself, Kid Ink. Almost Home is a short six track EP heavy on the synths and slow Trance, which is a great transition if you’re hitting the clubs into the morning and need something to let your ringing ears ease into before passing out.
The producer turned rapper impressively puts together a slew of beats from various producers (Allan Ritter, Devin Cruise, Dwayne “D’town” Nesmith, KB, Lifted, Mike Maven, N4, Ned Cameron, Vinylz) and verses from big name artists (Meek Mill, Wale, A$AP Ferg, French Montana, Rico Love, Sterling Simms). The generally slower tempo for his tracks make them great for his fans to rap along, especially with feel good lines like “I’m feeling like the man of the hour/but give me a minute/I be the man of the year before the season is finished” and “One hand to the sky, two feet to the ground/wait, can’t stop til the sun’s up/party everywhere ever since I got my funds up.” And that’s not to mention that half of French Montana’s verse on “Bad A** (Remix)” is ad-libs.
What makes this EP appealing though is the balance Kid Ink found in allowing listeners into the carefree, TMZ lifestyle he’s caught up in due to his fame and also capturing themes the average person can relate to-grinding everyday to achieve goals, stuck up girls (or guys, because God knows there are just as many, if not more), staying motivated despite the haters. But even his depiction of the nights of endless drinks, herb of the OG variety, and gorgeous women, makes his life seem attainable to anybody. He simply raps “up late night past Carson/drink in large proportions,” without naming the club he’s hitting up or the type of drink he’s downing.
There are still some moments that hold Almost Home back from making your favorite summer playlist, in its entirety. For one, auto-tuning Wale on the remix to “Bad A**” was a poor decision that should’ve been checked before the EP digitally shipped. Wale’s voice is melodic enough on its own so the additional, engineered assistance pushes it over the top. Also, the hook to “F*ck Sleep” is awkwardly blunt, especially as Rico Love croons it as if it’s a love song, instead of Kid Ink rapping it.
Almost Home is a convenient gift to Kid Ink’s fans and those who are new to the Batgang, as he currently tours with TDE and gets set for Europe. It’s tough not to vibe with at least one track off of the EP, as you get yourself almost home. Support the man on iTunes here and check out the dates for his upcoming shows here.
Bryan Hahn (@notupstate)
