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Afrocritik Weekly Music Spotlight: Bridge Week

Afrocritik Weekly Music Spotlight: Bridge Week

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Afrocritik Weekly Music Spotlight: Bridge Week

By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku

Hey there, auditory adventurers! 

Hello family, welcome back to your favourite place for carefully curated sounds and joyful sonic discovery. We hope you’re doing well and that you had a great week. As we move gently through the body of July, this past week brought us a relatively light slate of new releases. 

That only means one thing: we’re likely in for a busy, exciting influx in the days ahead. In the meantime, this week’s selection may be a bit shorter than usual, but rest assured, the quality remains rich, satisfying, and worthy of your attention.

June’s monthly spotlight is just around the corner and should be ready early next week, so be sure to follow us on socials so you don’t miss the drop when it lands. As always, if you’ve been listening to something you love or working on music yourself, don’t hesitate to share it with us at yinoluu@afrocritik.com.  We love hearing what you’re creating and I’m sure our readers will too.

Without further ado, we go into this week’s brilliant selection, which comes this week in the form of:

PARTY STARTERS: Ear-catching sounds that provide thrust for the playlist.

Kenyan singer, Muthoka, kicks us off with the infectious “Karibia Kidogo”, an energetic, percussive delight that sets a bright tone for this week’s mix. The Goodgirl project by GoodGirl LA gives us “Buss It”, “B.O.B”, and “Gbesoun”, a powerful, daring, and spicy showcase full of character, swagger, and vocal confidence. 

We pivot to South Africa, where long-standing vocalist Samthing Soweto returns with Touch Is A Move, a deeply felt, downtempo offering that blends soulful storytelling with subtle amapiano flourishes on tracks like “325”, “Swi”, and “Ama Get Down”.

The new compilation The Majeekcian Vol. 1 is all fun and fire, giving us upbeat, melodically rich afrobeats with standout moments on “Turn Up”, “So Bad”, and the bubbly “Cocoa Butter remix”. 

Reekado Banks arrives with his long-awaited follow-up full-length album, The Game Needs You, reasserting his knack for vibrant, pulsating afrobeats grounded in experience and polish. “Dangerous”, “Jawo”, and “December (So Beautiful)” all prove his ear is still sharp and his pen still ready. 

Yiizi’s Money Over Love project brings high-energy flair, sitting somewhere between drill and afrofusion. Tracks like “Somadina”, “Omalicha”, and “Learning Lyf” come alive with fast-paced flows, bouncy production, and no shortage of charisma.

NOTABLE SINGLES: A number of singles that stand out and deserve your time and attention. 

A number of singles that stand out and deserve your time and attention.

Strei brings us two heartfelt gems in “Imagine” and “Blessing”, sharing a tender, honest view into the heart of a young Nigerian riser with a lot to offer. “More Money” sees newcomers, Fazil and Teee Dollar, show off their melodic sensibilities and unique vocal textures, signalling bright futures for both. 

Powermusicz arrives with “Big Stepper”, a debut that intrigues with its slightly off-centre production and refreshing approach, offering something distinct and promising. Ghanaian songstress Mellissa delivers a soft, breezy afrobeats listen with “Catch Me If You Can”, a track that leans into warmth and subtlety.  

Enigmatic newcomer, Salle, announces herself with “Psycho, a meditative, moody cut that slows time down and pulls us into her immersive sonic world. “Mejekaja” by Kunmie presents an intriguing blend: a Yoruba-heavy ballad with an unexpected uptempo twist that makes it feel fresh and engaging. Crowd Kontroller delivers the dancefloor-ready “Wey Dem”, an Afro-House stomper powered by Miss Eddy’s brilliant vocal performance and masterful energy control.

SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN-OFF: Closing out with our usual trip to South Africa.

EeQue’s Oratile album reveals its gems, offering “Ndawonye”, “Ngingabonga”, and “Ungjikele”, all built on the strength of smooth vocals, soft reflective moments, and gentle amapiano craftsmanship. “Mpulele” from SjavasDaDeejay and his collaborators leans soulful and slow-burning, inviting you to soak in its laid-back atmosphere and warm textures.

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DJ Skizoh, Master KG, and team deliver “Tsiri Tsiri”, an uplifting Amapiano-flavoured jam driven by brightness, bounce, and the signature joy Master KG always brings to the table. DJ Moscow delivers “Ngyakhuleka”, a percussion-heavy, dancefloor-leaning cut that builds steadily and rewards patient listeners with groove and depth. 

Finally, “Bengingaze (Radio Edit)” unites Artwork Sounds, CocoSA, Russel Zuma, and Solo Thato in a sweeping, cinematic Afro-House moment. It’s another reminder of the high bar Artwork Sounds consistently sets for emotional and sonic storytelling.

These songs are just a small cross-section from this week’s playlist, and there are many more gems waiting to be discovered when you check out the full list.

Though it was a quieter week for volume, this bridge week gave us space to linger with each track and savour the artistry. We’re confident next week’s list will be brimming with heat to make up for this brief lull. In the meantime, feel free to send in your favourites from the new batch of releases as they begin to roll in. And if you’re still holding on for the June monthly editorial, it won’t be long now, hang tight and stay tuned.

Wishing you a week of light, power, inspiration, and momentum. Go forward through July with joy, grace, and everything you need to win.

Warm regards,

Yinoluwa “Yinoluu” Olowofoyeku is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative who finds expression in various media. His music can be found across all platforms, and he welcomes interaction on his social media @Yinoluu.

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