Since 2020 and its subsequent years, we’ve become very privy to Basketmouth’s superb A&Ring qualities that produced great albums like Yabasi and Horoscopes. Now he’s back with a new album that is a soundtrack.
Basketmouth is an art connoisseur. A legendary comedian, who also happens to be a film producer and music executive. It’s a no brainer, getting a soundtrack from him, as it enables him to merge his love for both cinema and music together. And no one understands the need for a soundtrack to not only be a wholesome experience in itself, but also have the ability to elevate the sequences its played in the movie, better than he does. Tiwa Savage did an excellent job earlier this year with the Water & Garri soundtrack, and A Ghetto Love Story is also a competent effort.
Basketmouth reunites with Duktor Sett yet again, for the 4th project in a row. Of course, they do have good synergy and alongside Dotti on the eponymously titled, album opener—they set the ambience for the project with shekere drums and minimalistic African instrumentation. “If you break my heart, i fit to break your head” Dotti sings, making his vengeful sentiments clear and the fact that he’s not to be messed with.
Of course it’s a Basketmouth album, so a Peruzzi appearance is inevitable. He picks up on Dotti’s rebellious spirits and adds a layer of promiscuity to his, admitting aloud that he “might just fuck around and cheat.” The beats here are more bouncy, alive and groovy with Peruzzi infusing a Reggae-esque delivery that works to a tee. When Pheelz makes his entrance on “Heartbreak and Breakfast” he is vulnerable and honest, providing much needed depth on the album. Rymez incorporates the beat with subtle electronic elements and Pheelz lets it breathe post-chorus like a House beat.
Wipe Your Eyes heads into Afro-R&B territory, with euphonious piano notes and Acetunes’ emotive delivery, soaring over the instrumentals—compelling his love interest to open her eyes to the magic of the love they have. Preacher Kingz puts in a tight shift also, with lines that delve into the intricacies of loving when the odds are stacked against you. Peruzzi is back again on Where, asking his lover “so where do we go from here?” after initially crashing out on his prior song and throwing all caution to the wind, whilst being reckless. He’s willing to compromise and do the needed to make things work, once again but perhaps the situation is helpless.
Wickedest Love ft. Ogranya and Waye takes the LP deep into cultural territory with the shekere-infusion in the beats once again and minimalistic instrumentation. Unfortunately neither artists really rise the occasion and the beat also has very little going for it. It’s not a bad song, but it’s not great either. The thing is, Duktor as a producer has limited range outside the pop and Highlife fusion production soundscapes he treads and now after four albums with Basket, despite subtle sonic differences—like this album not being as Highlife indented like the previous ones—Duktor’s beats are beginning to sound a bit monotonous.
Thankfully Del B appears on Mushin to produce some much needed variance, whilst still towing the same sonic territory Duktor has all album, but Falz fails to make an impression with subpar flows about nothing in particular. Yes, there is a genre of groovy pop-rap lamba that’s just mindless fun and Olamide has innumerable hits with that formular, but it’s clearly not Falz’s thing. At least, not in big 2024 when Olamide himself is making even more focused, meaningful pop music.
Duktor has one of his best outings of the LP on Iwa, with a beat that is the right mix of everything. The visceral shakers, the rhythmic guitar riffs courtesy of Fiokee and a bounce that’s an ode to a variant of Highlife with roots burrowed in Igbo culture. Ugoccie rises to the occasion and delivers a performance that is one of the highlights on the album. Her vocal delivery and writing is basically faultless, as she understands the assignment. Acoustic guitar strings open Lover, the least Afrobeats-flavored song on the project. Despite the appeal of the song and the sultry magic of Oiza x Meyi’s vocals, the song’s chorus or lack thereof docks points for it.
Taking Over is the rap record that features Hip-Hop veterans, Ice Prince and Illbliss with a formulaic, standard hook by Sugarbana. The rappers don’t exactly have a rap off that will blow away the caps off listeners, but they do a decent job nonetheless over the lax beat. Once again, Duktor’s lapses are on display as he’s clearly not the best at crafting boom-bap beats. Sugarbana though salvages the song with an an inspired verse that closes the entire album out.
As a movie soundtrack, this album works for the fact that it’s immersive, atmospheric music that would certainly elevate film sequences and even provide extra context. By itself though, it isn’t impressive enough to be a good standalone project but then, that was never the point. It’s a complimentary meal, not the main course.
