ILoveMakonnen is an artist with two faces. 

It’s the concept at the heart of his new EP, ILoveMakonnen 2, reflected in the twin mannequins on the EP’s cover as well as the seismic shifts in style that occur throughout the release. Of course, Makonnen has already proven that he’s just as comfortable on street-smart trap anthems like last year’s “I Don’t Sell Molly No More” as he is on the house-influenced nocturnal pop of “Tonight.” Since his rapid rise to fame, that musical dichotomy has become his calling card — and raised more questions than answers. 

Is Makonnen a rapper or a singer? Is he joking? Why should we even listen to him? 

Makonnen’s latest release doesn’t answer all those questions, but it does answer the last one. ILoveMakonnen 2 is the sequel to the Atlanta crooner’s self-titled EP, which launched him into the rap stratosphere — thanks, largely, to Drake’s remix of the weekday party anthem “Tuesday.” It’s also his first official release on Drake’s OVO Sound label since that breakthrough EP. 

Luckily, the 30-minute project wastes no time proving that it’s worth listening to. The EP’s first track, “Forever,” is easily the most ambitious — and successful — of the seven. A strong blend of ILoveMakonnen’s strengths, the song has a building synth melody that provides a driving backdrop for Makonnen’s soaring vocals. The booming bass and gentle guitar accent playful rap verses from Makonnen, as well as 1st (the rap pseudonym of one-half of FKi, the track’s production duo) and Brooklyn songstress Santigold.

The rest of the EP carefully contrasts his disparate sounds. In fact, the remaining six songs ping-pong back and forth between house party heaters and lovelorn ballads.

“Trust Me Danny,” the EP’s first single, kicks of the banger/ballad pattern with bright technicolor synths and gritty bass. It’s a certified party hit; Makonnen’s shouted chorus sounds custom-made to be the thing that makes the police show up.

But “Danny” is a high the EP’s other trap-flavored tracks never quite reach, despite their fun nature. “Flippin All Night” reaffirms ILoveMakonnen’s dedication to the sale of illicit substances over a sparse trap beat. The repetitive hook (“Flippin’ all night, boy I be flippin’ all night) and choppy verses are a blast to rap along with, but it’s the type of song that’s already been done better by any number of Atlanta rappers (see: Migos). And of course, there’s the utterly bizarre “Where Your Girl At?,” which features some of Makonnen’s best quotables: 

“Back in New York I feel like Patrick Ewing, boy/ All the way from the ’80s, my shit is still gravy.”

It also has the strange habit of ending every single line with a strained grunt of “huagh!!” for the sole reason of forcing everyone on the bus to shoot you nasty looks when you do the same.

The album’s ballads, on the other hand, are far more subdued. Sonically, they are easily dominated by the bangers they’re interspersed among, but for patient listeners, Makonnen’s softer moments are some of his best.

“Second Chance” is an EDM-infused ode to a former lover and a possible contender for most interesting use of a DJ Mustard beat in 2015. It’s catchy, genuine and contains some of Makonnen’s best singing to date. The same can be said for the self-produced closer, “I Loved You,” which boasts Makonnen grappling with his heartbreak over an ’80s-era piano melody and a subtle rap beat. The only misfire of these tracks is “Being Alone With You,” a ballad so slow that you’ll hope it’s over two minutes into its five-minute runtime.

ILoveMakonnen can be difficult to pin down, but ILoveMakonnen 2 proves that his dynamic sound is not just intentional, but also his best quality as an artist. In fact, it’s probably the reason that the king of calculated rap maneuvers, Drake, signed him. While it’s far from perfect, it’s a weird, consistent project from a consistently weird artist. It might not have another “Tuesday,” but Makonnen’s clearly not interested in hits — he’s too busy making the music that he wants to listen to.