Album Review: Niniola shows two sides of herself on "This Is Me"

There are no barriers or limits to what Niniola can achieve. You already know she offers zip, energy, and the chance to get lost in the music.

Album -This Is Me
Artist - Niniola
Record Label -Drumroll Records (2017)
Duration - 45 minutes

Niniola’s debut album is a game of two halves, The first is a fresh take on R&B, soft rock, reggaeton and the latter contains a collection of unrestrained synth-based Afro-House music. She flows through both parts with ease and finesse.

Early highlights arrive in the shape of the thankful soft-rock ‘Moyo’, and the impressive breathing R&B offering of ‘Oyin’, where the young singer becomes reborn in the guitars, and string together sensual Beyonce-esque lyrics and delivery. It’s an opening that you are unprepared for, and it threatens to take the project in another direction.

 

Form ‘Bale’ onwards, which features Terry Apala, her popular House direction is flogged into different records. It is this genre that has formed the basis of her popular work. It’s provided her with a tool to attain and retain Nigeria’s mainstream consciousness. At no point does the quality drops. ‘Dola’ is fired up with interjecting sirens and lusty singing, while ‘Rora’ features a twist with Afrobeat-inspired horns, as she bounces along the record with a swagger. Everything is formulaic, but it all comes together to stimulate.

After having a project that defines her work with the Afro-House sub-genre, you get a feeling that the future for Niniola is more diverse. There are no barriers or limits to what Niniola can achieve. You already know she offers zip, energy, and the chance to get lost in the music.

Rating: 3.5/5

Ratings

1-Dull
2-Boring
2.5-Average
3-Worth Checking Out
3.5-Hot
4-Smoking Hot
4.5-Amazing
5-Perfection

Get “This Is Me” album on iTunes.