Who is deee-nice?
Deee-nice (IG @_sinski) is back with even more summer jams after the release of his latest EP Pinegum—a funky, transient collection of some feel-good RnB and Hip-Hop tracks to enjoy the last glints of summer vacation. Having a few EP's already under his belt, deee-nice has developed his talents even further since his first "official" foray into music with the release of The Set Up - EP in 2020, boasting what I consider to be his strongest collection of tracks to date.
Since moving to the high peaks of Colorado, deee-nice has fallen into a sort of groove with his music as he experiences what the world has to offer and incorporates these adventures into his music. His time as a mountain man has clearly left an impact on his art—with his tracks feeling more "in-touch" with nature and the world around him, coinciding with the more natural, Lo-Fi vibe that permeates throughout his latest EP.
Mos High (Yuh)
The first track off Pinegum, "Mos High (Yuh)", is a strong introduction to this project and a great tone-setter—almost bursting to life right from the jump and hooking you with a catchy, infectious chorus. I also appreciate the length of the track and the overall pacing, as it never overstays its welcome but manages to fill each bar with power and purpose. This track is the most "hip-hop" of the songs on this more RnB-dominant track list and is definitely my favorite of the batch.
Triple E
"Triple E" is up next and is a funky reprieve from the bombastic introduction of "Mos High (Yuh)", showcasing the deee-nice sound we've all come to know and love. I couldn't help but let out a laugh upon hearing the opening line "I lay siege to your empire; homestretch, umpire", not just because it's such a whacky line but also because it, again, does a great job of setting the tone for the track, and that's having a good time. The entire song oozes with funky lyrics like this and it's obvious that "Triple E" (a name that I interpret as serving an "introduction" to deee-nice) does exactly what it sets out to do, and that's to show you what deee-nice is really all about.
Lemme Kick It Wit U
"Lemme Kick It Wit U (feat. Dilly)" is the first of two tracks showcasing features in this project, with Dilly taking the chorus along with some accenting background vocals. In the introduction, the duo exchange a phone call about inviting a girl over ("Ask her if she wants to 'kick it wit u'.") that leads into the chorus. From here, deee takes the reigns as he delivers a few seductive bars before transitioning to the bridge, where D&D (Dilly and deee) share some back-and-forth belting that I found to be, honestly, quite impressive. The song more or less adheres to this pattern for the remainder of it's run-time and is another fun and funky inclusion on the track list. You can watch the music video for "Lemme Kick It Wit U" here.
Awo
"Awo" is up next—With relaxed and melodic tones, this track heavily pulls from the Lo-Fi undertones I touched on before and slows the progression of the EP down to bring a more emotional and intrinsic atmosphere. I found there to be subtle themes pulled from gospel music sprinkled throughout, but the lady-loving deee still shines through, leaving out any of that "holy art thou" shit and only leaving the jams behind. I really enjoyed the vocal layers and how they helped accent the melancholy themes and softer instrumentals on this cut.
Sunset Dream
Second to last, we have "Sunset Dream"—a well-rounded blend of alternative and RnB sounds. As we come out of "Awo", this song carries on the relaxed vibes while also raising the energy slightly, adding to the already solid pacing and track placement on this project. Deee brings back the bars, albeit with a more "Drake-esque" twist as he bounces in and out of bars and melodies to provide a nice fusion of styles.
Party 2 Nite
"Party 2 Nite (feat. Chappy Go Lucky) sends the EP out on a high note with a fun lil' party jam featuring Chappy Go Lucky, who adds some background vocals and a few bars at the half-way point that contain some pretty unique and rugged vocals. I found both the vocals and instrumentals to be fairly complimentary as the trumpet and sporadic vocals accompany each other nicely and really bring the energy of the EP to the boiling point—right up until Chappy has had enough partying and kicks us out... The track was honestly just fun, arguably more so than all the others, as it felt like both artists really decided to get creative with things and let loose, and I couldn't help but have a good time along with them.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Pinegum is a resounding example of the natural progression that every artist goes through in their music-making journey. The track list sounds markedly different from his previous bodies of work and I think it's a culmination in both the change of lifestyle for deee as well as finding his own sound and voice. While he still pulls from various sounds and themes and wears his influences on his sleeve, I still found there to be enough of an original spin on those sounds that say to me deee is truly coming into his own musically. Most important of all, he clearly had fun creating this and I think that reflects in the art and overall "summer feel good" vibe of it all.
My final rating for Pinegum is a 7/10.
7/10—Great
Written by: Michael Miserendino
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