On his sophomore outing, BNXN treads the same familiar territory that defined his debut and gets largely the same results.
Despite the pressure on artists to deliver, a lot of prominent superstars don’t get it right on their debut albums. And even then, the few ones who do have to contend with the looming danger of the sophomore slump. BNXN’s debut album was barely ambitious and he stuck to the basics. So the pressure to live up to the expectations of a lofty debut isn’t weighing on him—like Omah Lay for instance—and yet he doesn’t rise to the occasion in his second outing.
It’s a very interesting phenomenon that has characterised BNXN’s discography of late in the recent years. He earned the reputation of being one of the best writers of the new generation, after putting out two stellar EPs that showcased the dynamism of his pen and the dexterous depths of his delivery. However, it’s almost like he has forgotten how to dimensionalize his approach or has gotten too comfortable now that he doesn’t have a point to prove.
In the days following the release of the album, scrutiny over BNXN’s monotonous delivery intensified, as the album is indeed emblematic of the symptoms that have plagued his music over the past couple of years. It is definitely warranted and the claims are substantial, but is it as bad as it’s stated? Let’s delve into the album.
From the get go, it’s clear what BNXN is trying to pull off on this project. Before the album premiered, he talked about how his former label boss, Burna Boy is his biggest musical inspiration and how he found the sonic experimentations on his last album, ingenious. I Told Them being the album in question was a fusion of Hip-Hop elements on an Afrobeats template. It’s clear as day, that BNXN is trying to put his own spin on that take with this album but he doesn’t exhibit the range needed to do so.
Album opener, I Alone is a melodic, introspective cut with drill fusion. BNXN interpolates X’s Moonlight to good results and muses about how the money and success doesn’t fill the void inside and he’s still alone in the end, drowning in the luxurious noise. To the album credit it starts on a strong note, but then Set Up comes rolling around and BNXN get stuck in gear one. The production is part EDM and part Amapiano shakers, resulting in a beat that lacks an identity. Seyi Vibez tries to salvage the song with a charismatic performance that contrasts BNXN’s bored one, but it’s too little too late.
Cutesy is another grime fusion track that is so low effort from BNXN, it sounds like a freestyle that shouldn’t have seen the light day. The less said about this song, the better. Despite his predictable flows, BNXN’s pen has always been the strongest aspect of his artistry but three tracks in and his writing is barely as good as it’s usually is. Jies attempts to kick things up a notch with a mid tempo bounce and while the hook here is catchy and has the potential to stick, the flows on verses sound too familiar. Nonetheless, it’s a decent song that could pick up steam with the right push.
FOLA is the star of the show on Very Soon and it’s no surprise, because the template is tailor made for him and it’s BNXN coming into his world. Once again, BNXN can’t find it in himself to do something dynamic with his delivery and while FOLA isn’t much energetic either, his vocals sound much more refreshing than BNXN’s.
Even if BNXN was varying his deliveries, after five songs the album needs an injection of energy and Eleyi is clearly trying to be that song. To its credit, it doesn’t sound like any other song on the LP or BNXN’s discography at large. The drums here pack a visceral punch, the swing is infectious and BNXN is musing about his exquisite taste on the finest things of life, emphasising that it can’t be bought with money and that class is permanent. It’s a good song but not what the album needs after a slow start.
The eponymously titled track is one of the duller moments on the LP. It’s cut from the same swing/garage fusion production that defines the bulk of BNXN’s discography, but his delivery is so uninspired and simplistic, that he might as well be reading out his lines and not singing it out. The song segues smoothly into Yes Sir, which is a sonic sequel to the preceding track and basically the same song except some slight tweaks in the instrumentation.
This two-track sequence is so frustrating, because you know BNXN has more tricks up his sleeves and can definitely dig deeper for more flows but he doesn’t sound interested in trying. His vocals are flat, like he’s bored out of his mind and would rather be doing something else. Laye Mi heads into Amapiano fusion and it goes for a wholesome feeling of the romance of dreams and the beauty in the catharsis of its accomplishment. He does have some compelling lines that will resonate, but this is a song that is supposed to appeal to the soul and it’s unlikely to because BNXN doesn’t sound passionate and isn’t singing from his own soul.
5hrs Till Nairobi carries the same colourful hopeful sentiments of Laye Mi with a touch of braggadocio and BNXN sounds more into this song, than the ones preceding it. Phenomena is another mediocre single like Cutesy, featuring the most cliche BNXN performance that is a mash up of his flows from previous songs. The song also isn’t quite sure of what it wants to be. It starts out like a melodic Afro-R&B cut and then the log drums kick in mid way and makes it sound jarring, because they sound so out of place.
Fi Kan We Kan is arguably the best song on the album for the simple reason that it’s the closest thing to being an energetic song on the album. Rema’s performance was one of his best guest appearances on a song last year and it elevates the song multiple tiers up. The chorus is a tad repetitive but it works and BNXN himself isn’t as bad as he sounds on most of the album.
Semzi-produced Totori is a deeply, emotive cut that should strike all the right chords and tug at heart strings because it’s a beautifully crafted, vulnerable song but because it’s track #13 and its coming after an onslaught of bland tracks that share a similar tempo with it, it ends up sounding like a drag. BNXN returns back to his trademark, predictable cadence on Ashimolowo and at this point, highlighting the same problem over and over again is like beating a dead horse. This song is underwhelming for the same reasons other songs are.
Victony opens Cough Syrup and brings some much needed variance with an electric delivery and profound writing, that’s complimentary of the sleek, pulsing beat. BNXN feeds off his energy and the song is easily one of the gems on the album that should stand the test of time. The synergy between both artists as they go back and forth, singing self-appraisals of their ability is very well earned. Maybe not on the context of the album, but at the end of the day they’re both accomplished artists.
The album ends with a gospel song and you can say the sentiment is on the nose and a trope, Afrobeats artists love to indulge in as either album closers or openers but you can’t fault the quality of this song and the pathos that the Soweto Gospel Choir bring to it with their soulful background vocals. Despite being a drag for most of its runtime, the album manages to end on a strong note like how it started on.
If you’re not a fan of BNXN for reasons highlighted in this review, then chances are you’re going to become even less of a fan after sitting through this album. He plays things extremely safe and never leaves his comfort zone. However, there are enough good songs for his core fanbase to enjoy and that will be enough for now and a very long time, because it doesn’t seem like he’s leaving said comfort zone anytime soon.
Final Verdict:
Sonic Cohesion: 1.3/2
Expansive Production : 1.2/2
Songwriting: 1.2/2
Delivery: 1.0/2
Optimal Track Sequencing: 1.0/2.0
Total: 5.7/10
