RIMON - I Shine, U Shine [EP Review]
Refreshingly ambitious instrumental arrangements and crisp, futuristic production make ‘I Shine, U Shine’ a truly exciting neo-soul offering. But it’s simply RIMON, with her effortlessly dextrous vocals and vibrant songwriting style, that gives this EP its sparkle.
It’s staggering to think that RIMON’s first single ‘Grace,’ was only released two years ago. In 2018, RIMON first hit the scene with the grooving, soul-pop debut along with its ultra-stylish Soul-Train inspired video. RIMON playfully fronts the show as queen of the disco, somehow managing to be alluring, edgy and approachable all at once. There was no doubt about it; the young Eritrea born artist was one to watch.
In the time since, the 22-year-old has made big moves, releasing track after track, and her first EP, ‘BBYGIRL FOCU$,’ all of which confidently showcased her unapologetically expressive yet super-cool brand of electro R&B. Her mellow music quickly gained her a dedicated listenership extending far beyond her city of Amsterdam and caught the attention of i-D, Pitchfork and BBC 1Xtra.
‘I Shine, U Shine’ has come out at a time when we could all do with a bit of distraction to say the least. Luckily for us, RIMON has added all the right ingredients to divert us and shine a light through the darkness: a delightful mix of summery, sensual 90’s R&B vibes (think Aaliyah), rich and interesting production (for which we have Samuel Kareem to thank) and genuinely surprising flourishes of creative ingenuity which keep us guessing.
Each of the 6 songs that make up the EP pulsates with it’s own unique energy, from infectious jam ‘Out Of My Way’ to the sultry power-ballad ‘never learned how to cope.’ RIMON has enviable vocal fluidity, always maintaining her flawless honey-dipped tone throughout, even while rap-singing on title track ‘I Shine, U Shine.’ Sonically, there’s a lot on offer; gloopy synths, lo-fi bass beats, epic jazz guitar and sax solos... But even when RIMON is at her most theatrical, such as on forthright opener ‘In The Morning,’ the end result is always gorgeously mellow.
Speaking about the EP, RIMON shared:
“It's about a journey told through different relationships. Not necessarily romantic relationships - but touching on the topic of the dynamic between fear and love and how to surrender to love, instead of fear.”
Though ‘I Shine, U Shine’ is packed with emotional honesty, it never loses its cool. RIMON is unflinching in revealing her vulnerabilities without ever over-sharing, using her personal experiences simply as means of exploring the busy spectrum of emotions associated with love. Smooth but never breezy, the EP displays RIMON’s versatility as an artist, further proving that she is a shining R&B star on the rise.