rolling afro 2020

i like the davido record a lot. i don't think it's quite on the level of 'a good time' -- still one of my fav albums of the last 12 months -- but there's something very specific about his music, the production is so elastic sounding, like every instrument is strung w/ rubber bands, but also soft around the edges and wispy. it pairs well w/ the strong romantic thread that connects his songs, there's something very genuine about his music to me.

"la la" is indeed great. "very special" is just perfect to me... the middle stretch of the record really locks into a groove. the song w/ nas is wonderful imo

I’m really feeling “Mebe”, the track with Mugeez

highlight of Omah Lay’s new What Have We Done EP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Y3F2wXOxs
Omah Lay • Godly

...also, “Confession”...

I feel like I'm missing something with the Omah and the Davido. Maybe it's all too *chill* or something, I just find these tracks really boring, even if they're pretty?

I'm not sure how to respond to that table, since didn't you say recently that you don't like contemporary pop music? If you liked, for example, Tiwa Savage and Wizkid but not Omah Lay and Davido that could be interesting to figure out, but if you basically across the board don't like the sound or mood of afropop, then idk.

fwiw I wouldn't really go to the mat for Omah Lay, but this Davido song ("Aye"; 2014) is a beloved friend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ-_HIoEBE8

Does that do more for you? Btw, I haven't actually gotten to the new Davido album yet so maybe I would agree with you!

The Return of Blinky Bill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFPu9zNU5yA
Blinky Bill • Bado Mapema (Simama)

I love Omah Lay for his elegant and hypnotic instrumentations, captivating and sensual but also fun, and recognize him as true innovator in r&b - afrobeats crossover. The short song format is very welcome too.

Btw I have found a pre-Omah Lay in 1da Banton. His songs are not new but some have been rereleased as singles this year (African Woman). Had never head him before, he's very good.
African Woman: [url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UxDSEJUB4M]
Jowo: [url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMaBMQq9dhk]

thanx, Nabozo. last.fm tells me I’ve played very little 1da Banton over the years, even though he’s been around for a while, but these are indeed very nice.

this is lovely:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d8dG_6ZA8Y
Immaculate Dache ft. Niniola • Antonio

damn, this is irrestistible - can’t stop playing it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KfJB7ZuzOk
Blaq Jerzee ft. Tekno • One Leg Up

Anything showing up on year end lists?

the time albums list had tiwa savage and their tracks list had prince kaybee et. al's "uwrongo"

Wizkid was on one I looked at, might’ve been the Guardian?

Burna’s Twice As Tall is on the Consequence Of Sound list

no comment

hadn’t seen the Wizkid so far...

sigh

...but you’re right, it’s number...

wait for it

...43 on the Guardian list

since we're doing the Guardian, they ran an interview with Davido yesterday.

Also noticed One Leg Up.
Singles I'm considering to appear on my year-end lists: Cool Me Down (DJ Tunez), Away (Oxlade), Infinity (Olamide), Addicted, Woman, half Wizkid's songs, Ojah (C Natty), Again (Wande Coal), Damn or another (Omah Lay). Follow-ups: Beynaud, Rayvanny, Innoss'B, Zlatan, Terri, GreyC.

Album-wise: Wizkid mainly. The rest was frankly disappointing and I hate Tiwa Savage with a passion.

some good choices there, but “hate Tiwa with a passion”? care to elaborate?

Hmmm, I'd say there's something stiff about her singing that is constantly rubbing me the wrong way, also it would be nice if you could sometimes hear her voice through the autotune.
I can do Simi next.

no please Nabozo don’t hurt Simi!

Bring on the boys:

🔻The new Rema is another naijapiano track, but very different in vibe than “Woman” - wounded and contemplative instead of ludicrously lustful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNR7F3AuIhY
Rema • Peace Of Mind

(it’s Kel-P’s first foray into the genre, I think)

🔻More naijapiano, this time by trailblazer Mayorkun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu8txVby2RY
Mayorkun • Your Body

(Busiswa was practically begging him for a collab on Twitter the other day btw. We *would* love to see it)

🔻Buju finally came through with a new single. his previous one was early-pandemic. still hoping big things from him, even if it feels like Omah Lay might have stolen some of his thunder:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-xLGjzDgOk
Buju • So Lovely

So many men, so little time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxclLinAj18
Mr Eazi ft. J Balvin • Lento

produced by Killertunes

posted about it on the Rolling R&B thread, but the Amaarae album that came out last month is very good (and Pitchfork-approved)

Which are the songs that have a shot at the top 77?

Uwrongo? Cool Me Down? Ngihamba Nawe?

Jerusalema? Hehehe

would think/hope Woman, Dangerous Love, No Stress, Emcimbini, Emakhaya, Your Love are contenders, possibly others as well

eMcimbini for sure

My spotify eoy was 99% kabza this time

after a great first few months Ghana seems to have slipped away (from my mind at least), but here's Joey B and friends to save the day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0LR0dDUfQU
Joey B ft. Kofi Mole & Medikal • Akobam

a new Davido signee with a lovely label debut:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_7NMl5W91A
Liya • Melo

man, “Godly” is so good. the organ that comes in in the chorus after he mentions God

nna, nna, nna, nna, na, ah-ahh

love that one!

Am I correct that this was discussed in another thread?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWKoDuyuzVs

Dj Manzo Sa feat. Comado and Mthandazo Gatya - "Senzeni"

yes, here:
THE HOUSE OF SUN-EL: Sun-El Musician, Simmy, Mlindo The Vocalist, and other related artists

it’s a brilliant track!

Oh ok didn't know there was a Sun El connection, thanks
Yeah it's ridiculously beautiful

there isn’t a Sun-El connection as such, but it fits the brief of beautiful South African house(y) music that’s not amapiano, generally speaking. or something.

just want to thank this thread - and especially regular posters like breastcrawl and Nabozo - for being my window into African music over the course of this (and every) year. about 10% of my "favourite songs" list was discovered here. http://www.saidthegramophone.com/

my pleasure, sean. anything to make your wonderful yearly list even better!

Which are the songs that have a shot at the top 77?

Uwrongo? Cool Me Down? Ngihamba Nawe?

Jerusalema? Hehehe

― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, December 8, 2020 5:01 PM (six days ago) bookmarkflaglink

Omah Lay deserves a shout either through his first EP, Damn, Godly or Infinity.
Jerusalema definitely. I've seen people try to build hype around Makazi, Yaz Abantu. Tugela Fairy is deserving.
Thanks for following Sean, tbh it's really hard to get in front of breastcrawl's military-grade radar.

lol please keep coming up with potential new display names, Nabozo!

was just listening to Omah’s “Lo Lo” again, thanx to sean’s list. that was his first song I fell for, but man, did I give him a hard time. couldn’t see what made him worthy of his instant stardom at first, but he’s proven this mere mortal being very wrong.

also #teamjerusalema here (for the second year running)

my tracks ballot is going to be a nightmare for sure, and Omah Lay is partic hard to narrow down. I actually most responded to "Ye Ye Ye" but also love "Lo Lo" and "Damn." I liked "Green Light" so much on the Olamide album I may have overlooked "Infinity."

tbh it's really hard to get in front of breastcrawl's military-grade radar

so otm, if I actually find a song that hasn't already been posted here, it's generally safe to assume it actually came out last year

as for the meaning of #86 on sean gramophone's list, from the ever-useful YouTube comments:

El Comentarista:
Please can someone tell me what it means "Ngongingo "?

Salama Salum:
@el comebtarista Ngongingo mean small ass and wowowo mean big ass according to this song!!

an independent earlier source confirms the second part:

Wowowo – Pronounced “whoawhoawhoa”, it’s Kiswahili for “Big butt.”

(I guess there were some clues in both the artwork and video!)

guys, Infinity - banging softness / male duo / Nigerian fashion / put it in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu69SyqwPGg
and the EP on the albums poll

hahaha amazing, thank you bc!!

so otm, if I actually find a song that hasn't already been posted here, it's generally safe to assume it actually came out last year

― loose Orwellian mobs (rob), Monday, December 14, 2020 8:52 PM (twenty-four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

haha, and then of course it's breastcrawl who comes and points it out to you, and you can feel he's giving you the eye and you should get disciplined asap.

or kindly reminding you that you must have been distracted because the song has already been posted and is right here in the spotify playlist at number 242

breastcrawl: maybe "Gunnery Sergeant Starboy" ?

thanx, but I’ve decided to go with “That’s What Search Functions Are For”

just came across this "Infinity" write-up in Rolling Stone:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/olamide-omah-lay-infinity-video-1085971/

it namecheks producer P.Priime, the third guy in the video. check that brilliant shot at 2'40, coinciding with his tag.

*namechecks