With roots in England and Cyprus, rapper, singer, and producer A!MS has always balanced a lot of different styles, inspirations, and sounds in his music. But his new album Peak Season might just be his most expansive and genre-fusing example of this yet, enlisting plenty of collaborators for a nine-track odyssey through Afrobeat, dance music, hip-hop leanings, and more.
More specifically, A!MS' mission was to build on his "global street" sound as a genre collective for the new cultural generation that's outside of massive music markets. He recorded this album completely in Cyprus, which he calls a "music industry desert," and mixed Mediterranean influence and global approaches with hip-hop and UK garage roots. "It’s my version of what Jamaica was for Bob Marley," the artist explained in a press release. "A creative haven where something global could be born."
Production on Peak Season comes courtesy of beatsmiths such as Cool & Dre, Antaeus, and Michelin Shin. Furthermore, the sonic variety shows up in some compelling ways. Julian Marley helps pay homage to the reggae mentality on the track "Light & Love," "Champione" with Blanco and Ramz plays with more contemporary UK rap, and ArrDee's contributions to "Need Somebody" highlight Afrobeat grooves.
All in all, there's a little something for everyone on A!MS' Peak Season project. Given the versatility of the record and the global emphasis, it also makes for a very cohesive and community-driven experience. We'll see what the next step is in developing the "global street" sound he wants to champion.
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A!MS – Peak Season
Tracklist
1. Light & Love (with Julian Marley & Antaeus feat. Hypertone)
2. My Best
3. Need Somebody (with ArrDee)
4. TKO (with Alika)
5. Bap (with Dvrkskyy & ZieZie)
6. Don’t Go (with Liilz)
7. Champione (with Blanco & Ramz)
8. Wait What (with ZieZie & Ramz feat. Liilz & Brodie)
9. See Us
