‘Wild Blue’ is a commendable debut by Yonda [Pulse EP Review]
Yonda, you didn't miss...
Davido’s benevolence is boundless. Before the release of his sophomore album, ‘A Good Time,’ he had a chat with Ebro Darden on Apple Music Radio [Then Beats 1] during which he gave Yonda a glowing salutation while speaking about the artists he featured on the album.
He says, “This is one of the artists they underrate on my label and he’s really good…”
This conversation forms the intro to Yonda’s latest EP, Wild Blue.
The track Davido was talking about during that interview is ‘Animashaun,’ for which Yonda got glowing praise from critics. He delivered in essential Yoruba and brought his culture firmly into a pop record about a sexually liberal woman. He also incorporated Christian innuendos for his verse on the record.
With no nexus that ties everything together, ‘Wild Blue’ is topically decentralized. Nonetheless, lots of the topics on ‘Wild Blue’ are based off feel-good themes of unity, allegiance, money, women, sex and Fela symbolism. Yonda feels cut from the 9ice, Terry Apala or Qdot fabric for his voice type, his delivery style and the use of his voice.
His voice type and style seem rooted in the essence of Yoruba folk music. He sounds like an Apala singer with a hint of Rara, Ijala or Fuji. He also sounds like a panegyric singer. Interestingly like all the aforementioned artists that he is similar to, his cadences, rhyme schemes and delivery are rooted in Hip-Hop.
Sometimes, he’s singing and you almost feel like he’s rapping. On ‘Obey Your Taste,’ he even delivers, “I got h*oes, area code…” a reference to the Ludacris classic ‘Area Code’ like a trap artist. He also did the same thing between 00:18 and 00:28 on ‘Bro Code.’
Yonda’s love for women also takes centre stage on another Choir effect-aided, drum-heavy, uptempo Reggae Fusion ‘Obey Your Taste.’ While the song is more lyrically cohesive and pleasing than ‘Fela Pikin,’ the track is more evocative of the depth and density of Yonda’s precocious talent and brimming style.
He effortlessly switches between Afro-pop, Trap and Reggae-esque deliveries across three minutes and forty-three seconds.
This project feels belated because nothing was known about Yonda for a while, but he’s finally here. Like most contemporary artists, he strongly identifies with the late great Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. He even dedicates a song to Nigeria’s greatest artist ever - ‘Fela Pikin.’
The Willis-produced Afro-pop record brilliantly switched from its Trap-esque opening seconds into an electrifying Afro-pop beat. Yonda then tells a story of debauchery as he has sex with two sisters - Matharoo style. He also gleans the topic of orgasm as well as other elements of his sex-crazed lifestyle.
‘Fela Pikin’ was mentioned in an uncertain, non-linear part of the song. That part also seems like a freestyle, which renders the ‘Fela’ part of the song slightly problematic and forgettable.
Equally, if we will make a case for Yonda as regards his Fela reference, then it would be about Fela’s hedonistic lifestyle, which Yonda projects on himself over this track.
While Fela did have that lifestyle, it seems like modern artists use that side of Fela as an excuse to live wild without the requisite humane substance to back it up. Nonetheless, ‘Fela Pikin’ is supremely pleasing to the ears from a sonic perspective, once the lyrics are out of the way.
The Reggae Fusion ‘Cumming’ is inherently sexual from its title. Once again, Yonda references an Nkiruka who is a “clean girl with a dirty mind” and whose boyfriend isn’t her type. He also interpolates a classic Kwam 1 line, “oridowo oridola” to drive his point home about Nkiruka’s sexual liberalism.
But sadly, Yonda could have done with a more dense and melodious production around that hook. His effort wasn’t matched by the production.
Once again, the Church-tinged production of ‘Toyin Tomatoe’ is about a woman - as it title suggests, but it’s more a relaxed love song with less vulgar lyrics than ‘Obey Your Taste,’ ‘Fela Pikin’ and ‘Cumming.’ In fact, Yonda sings ‘Toyin Tomatoe’ from the perspective of a love story destined from the altar. In Yonda’s tone is awe and love.
For all the female-oriented music, Yonda also makes some male-oriented music. While ‘Bro Code’ and its infectious production still retains female references, the track is built on a hook with strong references to subconscious patriarchal/masculine identity and respect.
Sinzu’s verse focuses on the unfairness of police structures across the world as well as his reticence for prison. Nonetheless, the track could have opened to someone with a softer voice - like a Tekno - in the opening seconds.
Topically, ‘Tony Montana’ is an excellent record with an interesting plot. Apparently, the woman - who is a cheat herself - thought she was superbad enough to break a man’s heart. Unknown to her, the man she intends to break truly loves her.
He also has the coldness of ‘Tony Montana,’ and Shabba Ranks. She lost both a chance at love and the chance to be a heartbreaker. As that brilliant piece of production coasts, Mayorkun sings that, “O f’owo jo’na o tun f’obo jo’na o…” In English that means, “You were both financially and sexually defrauded [by me]...”
Can somebody scream 'omo' from wherever they are? Moving on...
The track also interpolates a classic line from Baba Fryo’s classic number, ‘Denge Pose.’ Once again, Mayorkun proves that in terms of performance value, he is one of Nigeria’s very acts as a feature. In 2020, he is definitely Nigeria’s most sought after feature.
‘I Gat Doe,’ the lead single for the album is a tale of self-vaunting. The production for the song also samples 'Nuthin' But A G Thang' off the Dr. Dre classic, The Chronic.
Even though Davido would never be a bad strategy, ‘Tony Montana’ might have been a better lead single.
Final Thoughts
Lyrically and as regards of cohesive storytelling that can be easily assimilated, digested and understood, ‘Wild Blue’ isn’t the best album. Except ‘Wild Blue’ is something personal, it also seems like an abstract title that Yonda would have to explain by himself.
Nonetheless, ‘Tony Montana’ is a well-written song with a super-creative plot. It almost feels like the song was inspired by a true story. Yonda's free use of vulgarity is also quite alluring.
However, the best part of this 8-track is its electrifying production. It gives ‘Wild Blue’ lots of shock value and lots of songs with replay value. Whoever picked the beats has this writer’s respect.
Yonda, you didn't miss...
Ratings: /10
• 0-1.9: Flop
• 2.0-3.9: Near fall
• 4.0-5.9: Average
• 6.0-7.9: Victory
• 8.0-10: Champion
Pulse Rating: /10
Album Sequencing: 1.5/2
Songwriting and Themes: 1.2/2
Production: 1.8/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.6/2
Execution: 1.4/2
Total:
7.5 - Victory
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