We need to redefine “bedroom” music. Sure, it’s generally regarded as the tracks that dominate your make-out playlist (D’Angelo, the XX, etc.), but what about the other views of a bedroom? Like the late nights illumined by night-lights, when tumbling thoughts are more compelling than sleep? Amethyst is a bedroom album in both senses. Yes, it’s sinuous and sexy, but there’s a meditative quality here as well.
The duality isn’t surprising due to the recording background. Tinashe recorded Amethyst in her studio/bedroom over 2014 Christmas vacation and released it as a gift to her fans. What is surprising is how polished the mixtape is. This sounds like a major label release that would have taken hundreds of engineering hours. It’s proof of Tinashe’s producing and recording chops.
Despite the earthy title, Amethyst dwells in the watery textures that Tinashe dabbled in on her full-length debut Aquarius. Saying it’s a comfort zone feels too demeaning; Tinashe’s simply found the space where her voice can enthrall. Tinashe brings a handful of guest producers on board, including Iamsu! and Ryan Hemsworth, but everything sounds distinctively Tinashe. The sleepy piano of “Dreams are Real” perfectly swoons under Tinashe’s voice as swelling synths buttress the chorus. “Dream are Real”, in its title and music sets the standard for all of Amethyst. Tinashe shows off a brilliant vocal range, from the fluttering verses, languid rapping, and a stellar, choir-like bridge. It’s undoubtedly Tinashe’s greatest strength; all of these songs stick to a relaxed tempo, allowing Tinashe’s morphing voice to captivate.
The misty atmosphere is the perfect background for Tinashe. Nez and Rio (creators of the bouncing beat on Schoolboy Q’s “Man of the Year”) bring aquatic and eerie production for “Something to Feel”. The synths fade in and out of sight as finger snaps and stuttering hi-hats serve as the percussion, accenting Tinashe’s rising voice as she reaches into a somber, but gorgeous, falsetto. New Boyz’s Legacy comes to the table with Halloween worthy piano, but Tinashe uses it to crack private jokes (“you ain’t Tupac bitch!”) and mourn her romantic mistakes.
Much of Amethyst lies in the syrupy world of cloud rap, but Tinashe does pull out some polished pop hits. “Just the Way I Like You” is the only track that has a bit of summer in its DNA, but the intoxicating “Wanderer” and “Wrong” are Amethyst’s highlights. “Wrong” has Tinashe teaming up with Hemsworth, and he ropes in some of his more hyperactive tendencies. Instead, it’s even more subdued that their previous collaboration, “One for Me”. Light, slippery guitar and clacking percussion accompany Tinashe flipping from airy chants of “you do it again…” and autotuned passages. “Wrong” also holds Tinashe’s strongest attack toward anyone who thinks she’s just a singer. “Wake up inside of my castle / I banish you from my heart,” she sings right after proclaiming, “You fucking wrong.” “Wanderer” isn’t as defiant as “Wrong”, but it’s the most beautiful track on Amethyst, with Tinashe’s voice perfectly sliding through undulating bass.
“Worth It” holds the only misstep on all of Amethyst. It’s a sunnier song with Tinashe working her usual magic over watery production and booming bass, but Iamsu!’s guest verse is just a distraction. It’s not bad, but it takes away from the realm Tinashe’s created. It’s a sudden sound from the outside world, when Tinashe’s meticulously crafted world is too engrossing to leave.