Still on the year #2018InReview. End of 2018 has seen quite a number of solid music reviews; perhaps there will be more this January even as new albums are being dropped in 2019 already. However, #TBS has come up with 4 albums by some of the African big music acts just when I thought not many African biggest acts released albums in 2018 compared to the number of albums released by foreign artists, then I realized there were handful of records than we knew. Let’s start off with brief definition of an album.
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued as a collection on compact disc (CD), vinyl (Plastics & rubber used in recording and listening to music), audio tape, or another medium. An album is a work of art and, at the same time, a marketing tool. In releasing an album, a lot of quality factors have to be put in place. This is why we don’t see some artists in the industry churn out albums at regular intervals.
There are a few albums released across the continent of Africa talking the best of the bunch from West, East, South even North Africa out of the many tunes that got the world grooving in 2018. Some honourable album mentions from Nigeria here: Wizkid’s Made In Lagos which said “It’s like a collabo[ration],” Adekunle Gold’s About 30 , M.I Abaga – Rendezvous. Seun Kuti – Black Times, Brymo – OSO, Mr Eazi-Life Is Eazi Vol.2: Lagos To London, Kizz Daniel’s No Bad Songz, South Africa: Batuk Kasi- Royalty, L.O.V.E by Zonke Dikana, Moonga by K Wild Solace, Nakhane-You Will Not Die, Zaki Musician Africa To The World by Sun-El, AKA Touch My Blood.
We got many more from West, South and East Asia well to mention but few. The artist on #4 is Betty G- female artist from Ethiopia -a country in the northeastern part of Africa
N0 4 Betty G - Wegegta (Birabiroye)
Betty G Bruktawit Getahun) is an Ethiopian singer and songwriter who does experiment with other genres of music such as jazz, rock, andelectronic.. Betty G has been featured on Coke Studio Africa which is a TV show produced by Coca-Cola at Film Studios in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Coke Studio Africa is a dynamic music fusion platform whereby musicians and music producers from different African markets are brought together to collaborate and produce great music, creating an amazing sound.
In 2015 Betty G released her debut studio album entitled “Manew Fitsum. In 2018 Betty G released her acclaimed sophomore album entitled “Wegegta” The album was produced by Yamlu Molla (an AFRIMA Award nominee) has received multiple AFRIMA nominations and won album of the year at the
Apart from prominent African countries in music such as Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Nigerian among othrs, Ethiopia is one of those countries that served up some fantastic tunes that made 2018 a memorable one. That Betty G has proven. Now we move on to #3 song all the way from Kenya in East Africa
N0 3 Sauti Sol Afrikan Sauce Album (Sauti Sol ft. Nyashinski – Short and sweete
Kenyan Afropop band and one of the East African most celebrated dropped its 6th studio album in October.
N0 2 Zonke Dikana L.O.V.E (Zonke Dikana – Soul To Keep Ft. Kwesta)
Y’all remember that South African singer-songwriter and record producer who we talked abot sometime last year on our #AOTW. Zonke Dikana’s released her fourth album L.O.V.E on 15 June 2018 featuring just one collaboration with rapper Kwesta, with eight other tracks sung solo. She says “I love and respect his artistry. I’ve never featured anybody on any of my albums, and I think I last did features with my Love, Life and Music album. I got so tired of being featured; I just wanted to prove a point to myself,”
The production of the album took two years to complete. She said she was part of every single creative aspect of the album. Zonke wrote, produced, made her own beats and sang all the songs on L.O.V.E, which is in stores from today. “I wanted to be simple. If you look into my eyes, there is something there that is piercing and at the same time very inviting, which is what love does. You open yourself up. You can’t fall in love if you are closed off,”
N01 Burna Boy’s – OUTSIDE (YE off the album)
Burna Boy since his entry in the industry in 2011, has released three studio albums and three EPs and one thing that has been consistent with his career is his distinct sound. OUTSIDE is said to be his major release via Atlantic/Spaceship record label released on January 26, 2018. Burna Boy calls his sixth project, Outside a mixtape. The album contains 13 tracks and 3 guest appearances in Jhus, Lily Allen and Mabel. Each song tells its own story and serves a purpose sort of making it hard to point to a phase where Burna Boy has been better than he is on Outside. The album is Burna Boy’s most honest and creative project with beats from Nigerian and British producers like Leriq, Jae 5, Jhuls, Chopstix, Steel Banglez and Fred Gibson.
Prior to the release of Outside, Burna Boy had shut down the internet with his vibrant collaboration with Lily Allen, British pop star, and Grammy award winner in the song Heaven’s gate. The album embodies Burna’s personal experiences. Outside is the best thing Burna Boy has done in a long while, maybe in his entire career.
The sound on Outside is a rich and viable mix of genres that have inspired Burna Boy as well as those he has picked up along his musical journey. Even 2 at #BurnaLive concert, on 26th December at the Eko Convention Centre emphatically declared the single ‘YE’ by Burna Boy as the biggest hit song of 2018. That was someone who equally had a top charting single ‘Amaka’ this year endorsing Burna Boy’s artistry officially as Nigeria’s Biggest artiste of 2018. Do you agree to that guys?
He has proved to be more popular and garner more online streams with the recent release of Kanye West’s eight album with the same title. Ye is a wave and one that has caught both the young and the old.
Wrap Up
A music album is generally good especially if it’s about the artist’s experience. Many African acts with or without albums have given us goosebumps in 2018 among them were Davido who had several non-album singles (Assurance, Flora My Flawa, Nwa Baby, Wonder Woman) as well as Tiwa Savage who announced in August that she would be releasing her 3rd studio album before the end of 2018 during an interview session with “Grape Juice”
Good songs get you groovin’. What song or album got you groovy in 2018. Your choice of 4 best albums of 2018 is welcomed. Head over to our blog right now. Drop your contribution in the comment section or fight your keypad.On the #TBS, we try our best to keep up with the frequent outpouring of new records and many more and we work to keep y’all upto date and as timely as possible even on our #AOTW.
