We tested the waters in January, a month where Afrobeats biggest stars took a back seat and teased what was to come. Now we’re back outside and the releases are flooding in, priming us for what seems to be another active year for the genre and culture. Here are our top 5 projects for the months and invariably some of the most monumental moments of February.
1. Children Of Africa β Seyi Vibez
In usual fashion, Seyi Vibez popped out with a surprise project and held everyone spellbound due to his status, as one of Afrobeats foremost popstars. After clinching the title of 2023’s most streamed NG artist, he is pretty much inevitable now and his music is inescapable, acquired taste or not. Children Of Africa continues Seyi’s experimentation to find that middle ground, that captures his artistry without diluting it for accessibility.
It’s a notable improvement on Loseyi Professor, his last effort and produces one of his best songs performances ever in Shaolin, an aggressive Apala fusion record that strikes the ideal balance of rhythm and dynamism. Courtesy of Semzi’s production winning streak, Mario Kart is also a bop due to its pulsating beat and Happy Song would elicit enough nostalgia for audiences to move them. All in all, this project delivers for his fans.
2. Onorato β Ajebo Hustlers
If there is a sub-genre of Afrobeats, oriented around the sentiment of music that exudes badassery vibes and daredevil shenanigans in romantic and mainstream soundscapesβAjebo Hustlers would be the at the pinnacle of such movement. They make matter-of-fact, no bullshitting type of love records without the yearning and mushy undertones. On their latest EP however, they do get candid and maybe even yearn a bit but they don’t lose their identity.
Whether it’s on the R&B tempo of Movie Star, or over the Highlife melodies on Ave Mariaβit’s pixel clear that the hustlers are very much in love and aren’t beating around the bush. Even when things get a bit jaded on the promiscuous, Velvetβit’s from a passionately honest place and not driven out of sheer lust.
3. LCV3: Sweet Surrender β WANI
Since the turn of the new decade, we’ve seen the deterioration of one thriving niche community in the Afrobeats space and the insurgence of a new one in the Afro-R&B community. Whilst it hasn’t hit the cultural impact and influence of the alte guys, the music has not been better. It’s the best time to love R&B music out of Africa. From Nonso Amadi, Tay Iwar, Kemuel, Funbi, UAX, Mannywellz, Odeal and many more. The range and quality has hit an all time peak.
Now WANI is back with his first project in years, with LCV3: Sweet Surrender which is a love letter to previous eras of R&B, pioneered by the artist himself whilst advancing his own artistry in fresher, innovative ways. Sentimental R&B fans would love the emotive, heartfelt croons of Last Friday and rap fusion lovers would find their fix on Choosin (Hello.) The eponymously titled track on the other hand retains the feels of an R&B record, with a swing bounce.
4. the gift β SutΓ¨ Iwar
Nothing buttresses my aforementioned point better, than following it with yet another great body of work from an R&B artist. Despite favoring vocal deliveries that rarely exhibits Afro influences, SutΓ¨’s choice of beats are very visceral and African in their punch and snares, hitting you hard and reverberating in shockwaves. Unlike Sweet Surrender, that’s predominantly R&Bβthe gift is equal part Hip-Hop.
SutΓ¨ understands his artistry more than anyone else and that’s why his rap performances across this project are still on the backdrop of rhythmic guitar riffs and midtempo paced-beats that emphasize his R&B roots. This gives him enough dynamism to coast across very vastly different and quite challenging beat structuresβsmoothly in an effort that is so cohesive, it almost feel like one really long song.
5. Don’t Hold Me Back β Liya
A vivid example of an artist’s music sounding exactly like what said artist represents is definitely Liya. The sensual charisma always came natural to the talented artist, be it in the lilt of her rich, sultry vocals or when she’s featuring as a video vixen. Perhaps, she hadn’t tapped into it as much in the past, but if there is a recent project that encapsulates ‘sexy Afrobeats,’ it is her latest effort.
“Put a baby in me, tell me what do you need” she sings on Skin To Skin with much emotionally charged gusto, that many of her female counterparts would struggle to replicate without sounding delirious. Liya also seems proficient at eliciting strong performances from collaborators, as she’s the recipient of one of Olamide’s most catchy guest choruses in recent times on Vibes on Vibes and engages in a steamy duet with WurlD on Yes.
