Volume (UP): #36

“Long live the Rekere?”

Skip the yarns and add this episode’s playlist (Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Youtube Music). Alternatively add the biweekly updated list (Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Youtube Music).

A lot has happened since the last written episode, INEC selected a president, pseudo-activist musicians dropped their act and Davido released his album.

On Davido’s album, I like it a lot, a lot more than I liked the previous one. I think he put a lot of effort into perfection and created songs that may define the kinds of songs we listen to in the next few months. My pick is “U” with Skepta, a dissimilar match, that made a madness of an R&B song. I love that Davido worked with different names from the usual, while I dislike tracks 6–8, it’s a worthy offering and we accept.

Speaking of the future of music, I am convinced that R&B-influenced songs are the future of Afrobeat as we know it. I can’t point to any data except that the few songs that have crossed over successfully are usually in this category. As such, today's episode focuses on these.

More on the future would be the amapiano selections, I like that as the genre grows and garners more attention, there is now a bit of room for innovation and experimentation. I also like how the music is moving back toward its roots inadvertently. Focusing more on the instrumentation than voice and adding in stuff we find standard in other genres is great. Like the sampling on Piki Piki, or the otherworldly madness on Midnight Prayer.

I hope you enjoy this selection as much as I do …. Happy Holidays and enjoy.