Sounds from the East
With African music being the centre of attention nowadays, people naturally tend to focus more on West African music but I think it is about time to take a precise look at East African music. When it comes to Sounds From The East, you know The iMullar is your plug! With their diverse beat and flow, this week’s selection features artists like Masauti, YK, Bv Accurate, Bensoul, Sauti Sol, Niile, MaMan, Kin Jamaac, Lil Baliil, The C!rcle and Hoosh. Here are the 10 latest songs you should listen to in no particular order!
1. Bensoul – “Peddi“
No matter how underrated Bensoul may be, he is unarguably an important figure of the Afro-Soul genre and if you have never heard of him, I advise you to listen to “Peddi“, the 4th track of his Qwarantunes EP!
The Sol Generations Records (Sauti Sol’s Record Label) artist has blessed us with a soulful song in English and Swahili with calm vibes and a spirited bassline in which he addressed love, weed and the quarantine lifestyle. Even though the song is not about what our people are going through right now, I know for sure those laid back type of vibes and energy are needed. During those 3 minutes and 47 seconds, you will get to discover Bensoul’s art and the universe and trust me this is an amazing journey. The Kenyan singer describes his art as an eclectic fusion of live instruments and electronic elements creating a unique urban African sound and you will definitely love it! Sit back, relax, grab your headphones or your speakers and enjoy! “Peddi“ is the song you need right now.
2. The C!rcle featuring Hoosh – “Way Back“
The Sudanese creative collective formed by Aidyproof, Aka Keyz, Eaz Da Bully, G-Salih and Nadine who described themselves as poets and soldiers from the 249 are back with another track alongside Hoosh! An alternative hip-hop song produced by AE beats with dope melodies, uplifting lyrics and an empowering tone about finding their way back home from their different perspectives. The artwork was made by Nadine and it perfectly pictures what the song is about; it looks like a picture that was taken inside a car where we can see what seems to be Nubian Pyramids (Ancient Sudan) on the rear-view mirror with a purple sky and similar colours which sets a reassuring atmosphere. You should totally listen to this song and check this amazing collective out!
3. Kiin Jamac featuring Mohamed Alta “Jeel Caashaq“
It is sure today that Kin Jamaac managed to become a household name in the neo-Somali pop scene, thanks to her energetic tracks and lively vocals. In this typic Somali love song alongside the talented Mohamed Alta, the 2 singers are describing the unconditional love they have for their significant other. If you are not familiar with Somali pop music well this is a usual Somali love song; from the instrumental to the lyrics,- which tends to be melodramatic sometimes- to the music video, that is how we love it! Check it out
4.Bv Accurate –“Ulevi Ni Mbaya“
“Ulevi Ni Mbaya“ in Swahili literally translates to “Drunkenness is bad/ is a vice“, by this we sort of get how Bv Accurate feels about drunkenness. The voice note at the beginning of the song also sets the tone: “ yo shawty why you always drinking… you need to calm down… man, I think we gon’ have a problem girl“. If you do not understand Swahili it is ok, do not let this stop you from enjoying the song, focus on his dope rhymes, this bright and chill instrumental, you won’t regret it! “Ulevi Ni Mbaya“ is one of the best songs on his EP: God Is The Greatest and I strongly encourage you to give it a listen. If you are familiar with Kenyan rap well Bv will maybe remind you of King Kaka in terms of lyrics and style in a way, I would suggest you keep an eye on him because he is very good!
5. YK featuring Rotation – “Sing For Me“
The Sudanese music scene is really interesting, whether we are referring to the country or its diaspora. YK is a good example of the dope Sudani acts currently, in “Sing For Me“( the 4th track of his first album: Pressure) you can hear his UK influences in terms of instrumental and lyrics, it will give you some B Young- Jumanji vibes. A minimalistic but dope instrumental, a catchy chorus and voila! You have a banger. If you like the UK AfroWave style, a particular mix of Rap-R&B-Afro, well you will love this song as well as the album. In this body of work, he explores different genres in production styles which makes it enjoyable and relatable in away. As for Rotation, I feel like he was the best person to call for this featuring, he has the formula to make every song he hops on, catchy. For those who know him, when you hear “Rotatioooon“ you know it is about to be a banger. If you have never heard of him before, he has been mentioned in most of our previous articles and proudly represents the 249 per usual. You should also check his joint EP “Tnt: Injaz“ out everywhere. If you do not know about YK I hope you will love his bars and melodies, I encourage you to check his song out for pure vibes, they will definitely make you sing for them! It is available on all streaming platforms, enjoy!
6. Masauti – “Inawauma“
The Kenyan hitmaker of “ Ipepete“ is back with a new jam titled “Inawauma“, an extract of his upcoming EP that we are highly expecting! The title in Swahili means “It hurts/It is painful “ and like I always tell you do not worry if you can not understand the language, you should watch the music video to get the story but regardless, enjoy the vibes and the sweet instrumental by RobbyVibes and Motif Di Don. If you do not listen to Masauti I suggest you listen to “ Ipepete “ first, to discover his universe and his sounds!
7. MaMan featuring Niile & TooDope – “Workaholic“
MaMan is back at it again with a dope trap song alongside Sudan’s very own Niile and TooDope. The lively instrumental has been produced by AE Beats and it is safe to say he killed it, from the sample to the sharp pattern of the 808s he used. The beautiful artwork was made by Zeena Mirghani, it pictures the 3 artists with their eyes only and makes it mysterious in a way. It is obvious that you have become familiar with MaMan by now, one of the leaders of the new school in Sudan, he never disappoints and you know that when the Young JustUs Family comes together it is always a vibe! Check it out
8. Lil Baliil featuring Kashkeed – “Corona“
The Somali afro-pop musician and Kenyan artist Kashkeed teamed up to give us a track encouraging Somalis and fellow Africans to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19. Yes it might sound cliché at first considering the numerous songs that were released about the virus but this one is special trust me, you might even dance to it who knows! And let’s not forget that even though the lockdown has been eased in a few countries we have to stay safe. If you do not understand Somali here is the lyrics video with the English translation, enjoy!
9. Niile – “Fkl3b“
Fkl3b or Fikk alli3b is a vibe! The song is about good times and energy, if you do not know about Niile this song is a good start for you. He is known for being very good in terms of production and this song proves us why. This body of work is a complete Sudani creation, the artwork was made by the talented rapper TooDope and it is beautiful! Check these refreshing sounds out I know you will love it!
10. Sauti Sol – “Midnight Train”
The East African pioneers of Afro-pop recently dropped their highly-anticipated album Midnight Train and you need to listen to it! The title track ” Midnight Train” is one of the best on the project; the mid-tempo hit talks about Sauti Sol’s career and their journey in music. Check this vibrant masterpiece out.
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