Mila J Has That Dope To Get Over A Relationship, On Her Dopest Project Yet, Dopamine ’17

Now independent and no longer on a major label, after leaving the historic Motown Records, Mila J, literally gives no f*cks and is truly doing it her own way on her new EP, Dopamine ’17.  Which is why it should be no surprise Mila opens the project with No Fux.  A record about getting over a guy that did her wrong and being a slower tempo song, which you traditionally wouldn’t hear to open a project.  Truly showing the singer’s “No Fux” attitude, but it works too.  As Mila is one of the few true artist’s who can make the word f*ck sound like a dope, almost hood like lullaby.

While the next record, La La Land, is quite the opposite a very soulfully jazzy one about a long-lost love that she’s longing for.  The traffic report in the beginning and end showing how long she has to wait and given off that great classic chill Los Angeles vibe.  While Transform U, has Mila transforming her love into one of her favorites and I Do Love You featuring I Rich is a crazy dope ballad, where over the piano-laden production she confesses her love so profoundly for her ride or die love, even when it may seem she doesn’t.  I Rich given the male’s perspective on it and how he’s sick of the games, but admits he can’t escape himself and still loves her as well.

New Crib is Mila once again transitioning from a relationship both personally and professionally.  As over the very bass heavy yet still very chill record she sings about vacating her crib for a new one, so she could have all the memories from a former lover and a former label (Motown) in the past to move onto the present.  It helping you learn from the slow pain of it dying to find a fresh new beginning.  Mila then getting lit and ready to party on the very up tempo and appropriately titled, Lit to also try to help her move on.  While Doomed is the ultimate ride or die jam that has the very fluid Cali summer vibe we have come to expect on most of the L.A. natives music.

Longway meanwhile has an almost Jamaican and/or Reggae type vibe.  As Mila over the very bouncy and almost Dancehall-type production sings about a lover she always longs for and doesn’t want to let get away.  Move is the thug life Mila J we have all come to know and love.  As over the bouncy trap-inspired instrumental the L.A. singer/songwriter/dancer and sometimes rapper, spits aggressively about getting everybody to muove out of her way, as she tries to “get in her groove.”  That perfectly segues to F*ckboy, where over another soulfully jazzy backdrop, Mila sings about someone she doesn’t fvck with and considers a “F*ckboy.”

The latter end of the project then has Mila finding love again and the things she will do to achieve that love.  Start with the very sensual and smooth, Drippin.  Which has Mila singing about what that love will get her to do to get drippin wet for that love and actually even bringing that wet drippin to an actual drippin building towards the end of the record.  Segue perfectly into Body, where Mila perfectly describes all the things from licking to kissing her body, she would do right than for her lover.  Then closing out with Bonfire, where the L.A. native describes her love gotten the flames going up like a bonfire.

Unlike her debut EP, M.I.L.A., which dropped on Motown over three years ago now, this new EP actually has a true sense of direction and isn’t as all over the place. Plus I love the fact there’s only one feature and not as many as there was on M.I.L.A.  Showing how much Mila has truly grown over that time to carry a project mostly on her own, Dopamine also explores her falling out of a relationship and the things she does to get over it and possibly start a new one. Sticking to one main theme throughout, I think this is by far Mila’s best work yet, but still has something missing from it to make it a classic.  So here’s to hoping by the time she releases her first true full-length album, she will have the formula down pat to drop a classic and timeless album she’s capable of doing.

About The Author