A Deep Dive Into Amapiano From AYMOS With His Latest Project, 'Yimi Lo' & More
Words by: Matthew Griffiths
Aymos adds fuel to the Amapiano fire that's taking the globe by storm with the release of his Yimi Lo project.
“Amapiano”, Zulu for “the pianos” is a grass-roots genre that has recently had an incredible surge in popularity. My first encounter with Amapiano was heard via an Instagram Reel featuring a remix of Kygo & Selena Gomez’s ‘It Aint Me’ produced by DJ Abux and Soulking. The good thing about Reels (but I really mean TikTok) is that I was able to immediately browse through the tons of other videos using the same snippet of the song, which led me to understand how huge this remix had gotten. This led to a natural curiosity about Amapiano, which thankfully has lent itself to this 8-track review of South African singer-songwriter Aymos’ latest project, Yimi Lo following on with an artist commentary on all 14 of the tracks from the man himself. At the end of this review, he’s provided us with 10 Amapiano tracks he recommends for anyone new to the genre.
https://open.spotify.com/album/4qsxQElnfnsgWzkG1ozu6b?si=7EI7SyZmTUurEY0n72Yz2A&dl_branch=1
The album opens with ‘Jemeni’ - a 7 minute track laden with gentle strings, heartfelt vocals and emotionally raw adlibs. The percussion is laid back in terms of tempo, but with a pace and rhythm that keeps you excited for more. There’s a lot of space in this track for its differing elements - whether it's the harder hitting bass lead or the more subtle strings, or the bare drums in the intro and outro. 'Jemeni' also features vocals from Focalistic, a South African rapper who has collaborated with the likes of Davido and Semi Tee. His relaxed flow and rough tone match well against the light synths and moderate tempo of the track.
Track 3 is ‘Lyf Styl’, in which Aymos delivers some beautiful filtered vocals in its subdued intro. Aymos’ voice eventually takes front and centre stage in the track, where it is complimented by intermittent gentle chords. The energy then amps up when the bass comes in, on which Aymos sings a repetitive hook about, well…a lifestyle. In the breakdown, his vocals are strong, beautiful and convincing - even though I can’t understand them. Its a shame the hook didn’t give me the same feeling.
Fourth on the tracklist is the amusingly named, braggadocious ‘Amapaperbag’, a collaborative effort between Aymos, Josiah De Disciple, MusiQALsthe and Theology HD. The synth melody of the intro is big and cold, and a little frightening, but in a good way that makes me feel like something huge is coming up. I like the sound selection on this track, not just because of the synth but there’s a cool orchestral stab and an interesting vocal chop which is in a similar sonic vein.
‘Risasekile’ opens with some smooth shakers, drums and guitar. It has a sort of romantic feel to it, and Aymos’ voice does not lack the passion to go with this vibe. Gentle chords and bass dip in and out of the production, but do not overwhelm or change the mood too much.
Title track ‘Yimi Lo’ is different from the other tracks in that it does not spend much time on an intro. It’s also a short song overall, and the instruments heard feel more tactile and more organic than the other tracks which are more synthesiser-heavy. It’s a charming little break from the norm in the middle of the project
The vocal melodies and production on ‘Muhle’ are soothing, which is confidently offset by its pulsating bass once it drops. This album so far has excellently been able to blend thumping, repeating party sounds in a way which somehow fits alongside chill strings and soft chord sequences.
One of my frustrations with house and EDM tracks in general is that they can take a while to get going, although once they do, they are rewarding. Once ‘iParty Yami’, gets going, the anthemic vocals in the hook are remarkably catchy. A collaborative track between Aymos & Kabza De Small, some of the stripped back parts of the track which only feature vocals with minimal instrumental are both lush and euphoric while creating excitement for the next part.
The penultimate track, ‘Matla’ with Zakes Bantwini is an extremely danceable track with bouncy rhythms and repetitive orchestral stabs sprinkled in the background. The vocals in the hook are gentle and subdued, while the instrumentation provides the excitement and danceability.
‘Yimi Lo’ Album Artist Commentary from AYMOS
Jemeni
"I metaphorically use German cars to represent being unique as an artist since they're known for their prowess and good engineering."
Ababuyanga
""Ababuyanga", which means "they did not return" is about ama 2000 (young teens) who go out partying and do not return home, causing their parents much concern."
Lyf Styl
"In the song, I'm describing the life of a musician. Musicians are celebs, twelebs, influencers, and they have to look good for people."
Amapaperbag
"It is a sign of money or success for a musician to start carrying paper bags from Gucci, Balenciaga, and Louis Vuitton, so the song is inspired by it. The song says I've worked hard to have money to cover these expensive clothes."
Risasekile
Aymos’ journey started in afro-pop and this song harkens back to that. Sung in Tsonga, the song speaks of a love gone sour, that he hopes will be rekindled by recalling memories with his love interest and the good times they shared.
iParty Yami (This Is My Party)
"Literally, every day is somebody's birthday. It’s a song for people to celebrate life."
Uyangibiza
Aymos' identity is conveyed in this song by voices that are calling him into music. It is a calling to play music. The voices address him by his clan name, and he replies, "Yes, here I am."
Yimi Lo
The song uses the line "I heard love can change a person, but not me.". It suggests that answering his calling will not change who he is.
Olwangempela (True Love)
"All the times I have heard people say they have given up on love inspired me to write this song. It also encourages listeners to believe in its power and have faith."
Rata (Love)
""Rata" means to love one another as oneself. It is a love song that encourages people to lead with their hearts, not romantically."
Muhle (Beautiful)
"Every person can feel beautiful just the way they are, regardless of their gender. We are all beautiful regardless of our physique or phenotype."
Ntombo
"I was inspired by Ntombo, a gay man from Durban who trended when he came out on Twitter. Ntombo said he didn’t need anyone’s validation to be his true self which is what the song is about. Being true to yourself."
Matla (Power)
"Men often claim they are men based on how much money they have or how strong they are. All of this is for nothing if your family or children aren't taken care of. Taking care of your responsibilities is what makes you a man."
IXesha (Time)
"It's a song meant to inspire people who see others prospering to not be discouraged by them. You will flourish when the time is right."
AYMOS’ Top Ten Tracks For Newcomers To Amapiano (plus commentary on each song)
Aymos ft Mas Musiq - Lyf Styl; "I poured all my heart into writing this song."
Josiah De Disciple ft Jessica LM – Khuzeka; "I love the composition of the song, period."
Mellow & Sleazy & Felo Le Tee ft. Young Stunna, Madumane, Dj Maphorisa - Bopha; "This song reflects how quickly Amapiano is growing, and that the movement doesn’t depend on any person or gatekeeper."
Kabza De Small – Qula ft. Daliwonga, Xolani Guitas; "I like how they turned an old song into a new age banger."
Mas Musiq & Aymos - Bambelela; "Mas Musiq is such a great amapiano producer, and this song still keeps me going through it all."
Kabza De Small - Indoni Yamnzi ft. Daliwonga, Nia Pearl & Bongza; "There’s a familiarity to the melody that’s endearing."
Cassper Nyovest (feat. Abidoza & Boohle) - Siyathandana; "A beautiful song in every way."
Lady Du – uZuma Yi Star; "I love that in South Africa you can sing out loud about your president and not get into trouble lol"
Vigro Deep ft Sdala the Vocalist - International; "International sound from another amazing amapiano producer. It’s the only way to go."
Boohle - Pillow Talk; "As amapiano vocalists go, Boohle is one of the best."