On The Extended Play Of His Sophomore Album, Omah Lay Is Finally At Peace With His Vices.
One would expect the character arc of Omah Lay’s tumultuous journey to come full circle in a more therapeutic way but he’s instead opted to revel in his relapse. His newly found self awareness, fostered the acceptance of his demons and the deeper clarity that he’s not very keen on exorcising himself because he enjoys his vices way too much.
The tame drums on Keep Going mirror his state of mind and the lyrics paint a vivid image of reveling in his vices with lines like “I’m so high, I’m always high on flying colors.” Gone is the Omah Lay that harboured a deep seated disdain for his bad habits, enter a new clarity that’s keen on savoring the moment and getting high on life at the expense of his recovery. The narrative here is quite faint and alternates between the voluptuous curves of a woman’s body and the conviction that powers resilience but the message is clear, Omah Lay wants to keep going—on the grounds of living life and driving his woman to the edge of pleasure.
On the much more solemn BACK TO LAGOS, permeated by rhythmic guitar riffs and sombre reverbs—Omah sings about the void that’s become his life. The high octane parties, intoxicating drugs and beautiful women have all blurred into insatiable days of emptiness that don’t fulfill him. Gunna’s verse is more aspirational and less haunted like Omah’s but together they do a great job in conveying the message of two popstars searching for a deeper meaning to life that they attribute to going back home.
Omah returns to his depraved, promiscuous ways on TAKE and reminds us once again why these sexually treacherous waters are his bread and butter he lives for. He compares the wetness of his lover’s bed to the renowned beach waters of Elegushi and recruits Tiakola to wax poetic in French—a language with the reputation of being free spirited and sensual. It’s a match made in heaven and the song is easily the best on the extended play.
A Holy Ghost Fire medley closes the Extended Play out and it’s nothing special asides being a piano ballad that contrasts the OG Afropop version. This was an opportunity for Omah to be more creative with his vocal delivery but he doesn’t cease the moment and the song remains what it is. For what it’s worth, the new songs fit like a glove into the cohesive unit of the LP and furthers the narrative, as opposed to the usual antics Nigerian artists deplore in launching new songs to aid the shelf life of old albums that don’t necessarily flatter the quality of said albums.
Final Verdict:
Sonic Cohesion: 1.7/2
Expansive Production: 1.5/2
Songwriting: 1.4/2
Delivery: 1.4/2
Track Sequencing: 1.5/2
Total: 7.5/10
