2016 is here! Every year comes with its own flair and vicissitudes; 2015 was no different. In spite of the decline of the music album in Nigeria, great American albums like Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, Dr Dre’s Compton and D’Angelo’s Black Messiah permeated global consciousness. While Nigeria didn’t enjoy such colossal greatness in our music last year, we did have some small-scale victories. Here are six albums that particularly stood out to me in 2015.
Soundbender, Beautiful Nubia
Roots and Folk singer Beautiful Nubia’s Soundbender album is a miracle, because to aspire to bending sound is to aspire to the miraculous. This album thrives on its own merit of energizing root music with a clear vision to make it more accessible, mainstream and urban. Jangbalagbu, his earlier album, was by no means a bigger outing. Soundbender goes beyond musical mastery to touch stones with topical and sometimes global issues with refreshing verve and philosophical leanings.
Seyi or Shay, Seyi Shay
With a long awaited album that strives to compartmentalize her personas whilst still yoking them together in an LP of promise, Seyi Shay’s music is one of the better moments of last year. Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade and the German Juice star, Cynthia Morgan are easily the most important divas working in the industry and Seyi Shay’s album release leaves Ms Morgan as the only one without an album to her name.
Seyi or Shay features a tracklist that is a masterful transition from Americanized sounds on one end of the spectrum to deeply African rhythms that sometimes flirt with the gospel music of the church. One can safely conclude that this is a cache of potential hits.
The Indestructible, Choc Boi Nation
Chocolate City has been in the news of recent for problems ranging from acrimonious departures of artistes to the occasional news of recruiting musicians like Dice Ailes and Koker, as well as the deserved return of M.I’s genius brother, Jesse Jagz.
With thirteen artistes on fifteen tracks, too many chefs do not spoil this broth. The only major flaw of this album is a desperate need to sound unmistakably American. But when the music dips to the grassroots, especially when Koker, Brymo’s replacement, sings, one is assured of the direction in which Nigerian music should go.
Applaudise, Iyanya
The moment the powerful vocalist of “Project Fame” fame tipped the scales in favour of his commercial success, his story changed in spite of the slew of misfortunes, both personal and professional, that had erstwhile befallen him. His latest album throbs with promise, as he has moved beyond just experimenting with that Makossa sound to owning it and competing successfully with the likes of J Martins in fertile geographical locations like Central and East Africa where this kind of sound holds sway in nightclubs till the wee hours.
With songs blending his earlier R & B background with the jaunty sounds of his later Makossa days, Applaudise will keep dancers on their feet for a long time.
Naked, Darey
That Darey’s Naked involves a certain kind of musical clothing is a paradox of titles. This album is masterful in every sense of the word. His music dips into Yoruba rhythms, Nigerian Englishes, recruits the talking drum and dwells on man’s deepest fascination, love.
With songs like “Pray for Me”, “Orekelewa” and “Love You Die”, a tripartite that whets any music lover’s appetite, it is clear that Darey has found his true African nature and voice.
Stories That Touch, Falz
Barrister Folarin Falana or Falz the Bahd guy as he is popularly known in music spheres is less and less of Brother Taju on his sophomore musical excursion, Stories That Touch. His carefully honed and practiced sound—which he calls Wazap music—shines brightly. Falz’s rap technique hinges deliberately on humour, code-mixing and switching, hilarious descriptions, a fuji lilt, some self-deprecation as well as the signature egotism peculiar to hip hop.
With songs like “Karashika”, “Soldier” and “Soft Work”, Stories That Touch leaves listeners with a remarkable impression which is serious and humorous in equal parts.
Which albums stood out to you in 2015?