On his brand new EP, Noon Dave makes soulful music that not only appeals to the emotions, but packs enough groove to be enjoyable music also.
Since getting signed to Chocolate City in 2022, Noon Dave has developed something of a reputation for himself in crafting infectious, sexy Afrobeats songs that straddle the thin line between Pop and R&B fusion and on GEM, his debut EP—he reminds us of these abilities.
Bounty is built on the background of sombre guitar chords and a minimalist approach to beats, that places the emphasis on Dave’s vocals and the emotions he’s conveying through the medium. His writing couldn’t be more heartfelt, as he beckons to his lover to see past his shortcomings in the grueling times he might have hurt her and invariably made her cry. It has everything you’ll want in an R&B record. Soulful vocals, vulnerable and heartfelt writing and an ambience that appeals to the emotions.
On the next track, FaceCard (Only Me)—Dave continues on his mission of building his lover up and putting her on the pedestal of unyielding adoration. We’re in pop territory now, but it’s mid tempo so the slow burn pacing of the LP carries on. On the chorus, he sings “only me go love you” reminding his lover of the true essence of love in its wholesome and selfless nature.
Dave wants his lover to also know, she can bank on him in Merry Go. It’s not enough that she feels like the most revered person in his life, that he did well to express on FaceCard. He assures her that even if she goes through fire, he’ll be right there beside her. The song is cut from the same sonic cloth of the preceding track and would be almost indistinguishable from one another, if not for Oladapo’s impressive showing that offers a refreshing element as their differing vocal textures overlap over the other and results in unique harmonies.
Things heat up and get steamy on Hold Me, providing some much needed variance in the thematic direction. We’ve gotten the swoony type of love, the undying dedication and the sacrificial types on previous tracks, so getting a song that delves into the intimate part of love is a wise decision. However, this is one of the weaker tracks on the EP—as the writing isn’t as focused and he veers off topic in the second verse to talk about how his friends are feeling his love interest too. On other songs, Dave locked in on a topic and buttressed on it throughout the runtime of the song. So it’s quite clear that he’s not as comfortable in the sexual soundscape of the EP, like others.
Vibration is more of the same in Hold Me, except it is in swing territory and features dancehall artist, Projexx who is a maestro in such atmospheres. It’s a sonic improvement on Hold Me, but doesn’t exactly hit the heights of the EP’s opening 2 tracks either. At this stage, it’s pixel clear that Noon Dave excels better when he’s talking about the more wholesome aspect of love. Nonetheless, it’s a good EP overall that would definitely get love from R&B buffs like this writer.
