Drummr x Tangaza: Top 10 Projects in 2020 So Far
Stepping into this year, we all were full of hopes and aspirations, but it’s with more of a breath of relief that we now accept the fact that the first half of the year 2020 is finally gone after so much drama and unwarranted circumstances. In the midst of the madness, chaos and unexpectedness of all the situations that have sprung this year, we still had good times, and even, better music.
This article is a selection of our top ten East and West African projects from the first half of 2020.
Please note that the projects selected were released between January 1st to June 30th 2020, and they are arranged in no particular order.
VIVID EMOTIONS by Naya Akanji & Lemar Abdul
In what happens to be a debut project for both the talented singer, Naya Akanji, and producer Lemar Abdul, Vivid Emotions, as the name suggest is a project that with preternatural melodies and Naya’s silky vocals, opens up the listener’s eyes (ears actually) to vividly experience - through very expressive lyricism – the vulnerability, resistance, subtlety and other wide range of emotions in the story each song tells.
Listen to Vivid Emotions here.
NAIROBASS by XPRSO.
XPRSO.’s groovy debut project, Nairobass, pays to their love of bass. The group package their lived experiences in the city of Nairobi into a 7 track EP that balances feel-good vibes, on a song like “Party”, with more conscious, political content as heard on “Thinking” ft. Palmtrees.
Listen to Nairobass here.
NOT GOING OUTSIDE by Bryan the Mensah
Right after releasing the I Don’t Feel Like Going Outside EP, Bryan the Mensah backs it up with his Fifth project, Not Going Outside. With Not Going Outside, Bryan reminds his listeners of his goals and how he hopes to achieve them – by evading the unnecessary, double-checking his use of funds, and of course keeping that resilient spirit that brought him this far in the first place.
Listen to Not Going Outside here.
EX-TAPE by Caleb Awiti
East Africa’s R&B scene is blossoming, and 18 year old Mombasa-based artist Caleb Awiti is adding his voice to this growing list of R&B crooners with his sensual, trap tinged take on R&B. On his latest offering, EX-TAPE, Caleb’s smooth, entrancing vocals float over hypnotic, slow-rolling beats as he navigates infatuation, love, and toxic exes.
Listen to EX-TAPE here.
MINT, GREEN. by Shalom Dubas
Shalom Dubas tests the waters with her first solo project titled Mint, Green. The EP is Shalom’s testament to her versatility, her love for sound experimentation, and a proof to the continuous substantial lyrical flow for which she already is known. With Mint, Green. Shalom tells stories of loyalty, love, focus, and more. Mint, Green. really is a project to listen to, and we hear it might be followed up by a sequel.
Listen to Mint, Green here.
ROSETTA by Dua Saleh
Dua Saleh’s Rosetta EP, named after the actual rock n roll pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, is an imaginative exploration of the tensions between sexuality and religion. Dua navigates these themes over haunting soundscapes created by producer Psymun. The project takes you on a sonic journey infused with elements of hip-hop, punk, pop and indie-rock.
Listen to Rosetta here.
CULT! by Paybac Iboro
When Paybac Iboro announced Cult! Sometime last year, expectations for the project were on an uncontainable high – however he kept changing the release date to the disappointment of his fans. However when Cult! eventually released, everyone who listened would agree to the basic truth that it was worth the wait.
Once again in Cult! Paybac experiments with different sounds, different flows, different stories and scenarios, and of course different (of the best) features.
Listen to Cult! here.
IT IS WHAT IT IS by Swami Sound
Influenced by a trip to Nairobi late last year, NYC-based producer Swami Sound’s It Is What It Is celebrates the talent of the black diaspora. He enlists a squad of up and coming East African creatives across Nairobi and NYC: musicians Mr. LU* (Nairobi), Chevy Kev (Nairobi), mau (Kenyan-born, NYC based), Maya Amolo (Kenyan-born, NYC based), and mwami (Ugandan-born, NYC based); and Nairobi based digital artist Akiba Haiozi. Pulling from various genres such as UK garage, hypnagogic pop and afrobeats, IIWII is a feel-good, dance inducing project.
Listen to It Is What It Is here.
POWERS, vol.1 by DAP The Contract
After tumultuous sails in the waters of releasing multiple singles and finessing every feature on which he got, DAPthecontract eventually settled to put out a debut EP titled Powers, vol.1.
With this project, DAP was sure to seal his place as one of the most electric-paced and at the same time lyrically proficient Emerging rappers out of Africa. Powers, vol.1 features fast-paced grind songs, especially Rings, which was completely an out-of-the-ordinary standout song.
Listen to Powers, vol.1 here.
MATAKO BARIDI by SonOfTheSun x KingKERBY
Matako Baridi oozes good vibes and is excitingly versatile; SonOfTheSun draws from amapiano, R&B, and lo-fi hip-hop on the EP’s production whilst experimenting with groovy, tranquil instrumentation. Kerby’s soothing, melodic vocals perfectly round-off the project. Put this on if you’re in need of some positive vibrations.
Listen to Matako Baridi here.
