Afrocritik Music Spotlight: Different and Fresh
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
Greetings to the ever-curious seekers of sound, the fearless travellers who follow rhythm across borders, and the listeners who find joy in the unexpected turns music can take. This space remains yours, a place for discovery, for surprise, and for the kind of sonic adventure that keeps things exciting.
First, I have to apologise for this edition coming out a bit late. Electricity and network issues have been a reality for many Nigerians recently, and I have not been spared. Still, nothing can keep me away from you. I will always find a way to bring this to you. I hope you are doing well, and that this final stretch of Q1 has not been too stressful. How has Women’s Month been going for you? I hope you have been celebrating the women in your lives, because it has also been beautiful to see so many incredible releases from women reflected in this edition. The men did not slack either, and what we have here is a truly massive selection. The breadth and depth of the treasures discovered this week make for a densely packed edition, driven by unique sounds and varied genre expressions. It was an absolute blast to put together, and I hope it expands your tastes and tickles your ears in the best way possible.
Before we begin, make sure you are following us on all our socials, as there is a lot of exciting work coming from Afrocritik very soon. We also recently released our highly anticipated Afrocritik Report, so take some time to check that out. And as always, artists can send their music to [email protected] for a chance to be featured here.
Without further ado, we go into this week’s brilliant selection, which comes in the form of:
We begin softly, with emotion and intimacy guiding the way.
Soft & Soulful
We ease into this edition with heartfelt tenderness, where acoustic textures and alternative sensibilities take centre stage. Somadina opens things up with “Feel Something”, a guitar-led ballad anchored by heavy bass elements that deepen its emotional pull. It’s off her Wahala Princess project, which also gives us “Don’t Suffer”. Kenyan singer-songwriter Itha, alongside Clark Keeng and Matt Ngesa, delivers “Stars” and “Stained Glass” from the Let’s Draw EP, where ethereal vocals drift across ambient-leaning instrumentals with a sense of weightless beauty.
South African singer-songwriter Berita offers “Namhlanje”, a soft and soothing guitar and piano ballad that gently unfolds over light drums. Yimeeka presents a moving three-pack, For The Brokenhearted, with “Jah Lo” featuring Tiimie and “Did It All”, songs that feel like quiet confessions wrapped in melody. Tamará’s Rays of Tamara brings modern, sweet, and groovy Gospel storytelling through “No Secret”, “Little Faith”, as well as “Teach Me” and “ABBA”, each track balancing spirituality with contemporary musicality.
Ghanaian Alt-Pop artist Ria Boss gives us “Imperfect Daughters”, a heartfelt RnB-tinged narrative ballad that speaks with vulnerability and clarity. Kotrell’s And Everything In Between leans into romance with “Deserve It” and “Love Me Slow”, piano-driven ballads rich with narrative intention, while “When You Know” and “Wonda” further showcase his emotive songwriting range.
From there, we move into introspection with rhythm.
Conscious Hip-Hop
Rap lovers are well catered for this week, with Hip-Hop that blends thoughtfulness, narrative, and melody. Nasty C expands his Free album with the Deluxe edition, adding “Head Up 2.0”, “The Heart”, and “My Shxx”, where guitars and soft acoustic elements meet bopping, grounded beats. Lucasraps’ Y.O.G album delivers “Throw It Back”, “Yours Sincerely”, “The Shepherd”, and “FYF”, weaving alternative and off-kilter production with flexible melodic flows.
K.O reminds us of his consistency with “20 Summers”, a single built on smooth chords and a groovy yet hard-hitting Hip-Hop bounce. Ghanaian acts Dikoo and Medikal bring energy on “Ahoya”, a thumping track delivered in Twi that blends cultural expression with punchy delivery. Kayode rounds out this section with “Aimoye”, a trippy and futuristic Yoruba-inflected Hip-Hop offering that pushes sonic boundaries.
Then we arrive at the core of this edition.
Different & Fresh
This is where the spirit of the playlist truly lives, in the unexpected, the genre-bending, and the creatively daring. Spinall’s When Lagos Sleeps EP gives us “Last Bus To Obalende”, “Impromptu Bend”, and “Metric Rules”, a curated sleepy Jazz experience that feels like drifting through a quiet city at night. Tinariwen’s Hoggar album offers “Asstaghfero Allah” and “Anidinim Ehaf Solan”, as the legendary Tuareg band continues to preserve traditional musical culture while weaving in subtle touches of electrified Rock and Roll.
Joeboy and Wizard Chan join forces on the Agaba Romantic EP, delivering “Love Sick Crazy” and “Woman”, a seamless blend of their distinct artistic identities into a shared sonic vision. Salle impresses with her Only Sad People Smile: Only Hurt People Heal album, which brings us brilliant tracks in “Rebound”, “Love From The 90’s”, “Underskirt”, and “Psycho”. Mannywellz and Wale bring groove and polish on “How It Feels”, while Highlife influences shine on “Masallaci” by Pappy Kojo and “Mekon Ado” by DarkoVibes. RnB-inflected fusions appear in Noon Dave’s “Lotion”, Ema Onigah’s “With You”, and Kyla Blac’s “No Boys Allowed”, each track offering its own emotional texture.
On the more alternative edge, La Soülchyld’s “Take Control”, BRUME’s “Many Girls”, and the electronic-leaning sounds of Josh Blakk’s “Running” and Temi B and phxmer’s “Rocketship/Cloud Club” push sonic experimentation forward. TreyGTK closes this section with “Red” and “Right or Wrong” off his Party Tears debut album, marking him as a clear disciple of classic Alté sensibilities with a fresh perspective.
And finally, we close with movement.
Electronica
A brief but impactful dip into AfroHouse and Amapiano rounds things off. A new version of “Snokonoko” by Al Xapo and collaborators arrives with a feature from Joshua Baraka, adding a fresh dynamic to an already vibrant track. Nvcho’s Letters I Didn’t Send offers “AmaCorrection”, “Mzali”, and “Amalobolo”, showcasing the depth and range of his production across layered, emotive soundscapes.
“Skwiza” by EeQue, Al Xapo, and Ch’cco brings together energetic elements with rhythmic precision, while LeeMcKrazy and QuayR Musiq deliver “Nkosi Yomhlaba” off the Macala album, a track rooted in groove, movement, and spiritual undertones.
As always, these songs are just a cross-section of the full playlist. Many more gems are waiting for you, and this is a big one, packed with a full range of vibes that deserve your time and attention.
Remember, we are not just about the biggest names. We are here to make sure you do not miss the noteworthy offerings that might have flown under your radar. Hopefully, we have put you on to some new artists and helped you find new favourites to carry forward.
Send us your recent favourites from this past wave of releases, and keep an eye out for the return of the Monthly Editorial as we round up March. We hope you enjoyed this spotlight as much as we enjoyed putting it together. We hope you missed it as much as I missed bringing it to you, and we hope the year has been kind to you so far.
Once again, apologies for the delay. Thank you for staying with us.
For the next two weeks, keep exploring, keep listening, and keep your ears open to the unexpected. We wish you the very best that fast-approaching April has to offer.
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.