‘Libation‘ is a politically charged track. A stripped back instrumental echoes the Afro sound of Fuse’s hits, but deliberately omits the horns that characterise his traditionally upbeat sound. Lyrically, Fuse addresses issues such as the slave trade. ‘You stole my pride when you took my name//but you can never out my flame‘ the artist defies, with passion.

Fuse took to social media to outline the track’s political nuances. ‘Let’s use this as an opportunity to open up debate and create real change‘, he captioned his YouTube video, ‘do your own research and educate yourself as quickly as possible…people are dying everyday of racism so time is not a luxury‘. It is a powerful statement from Fuse ODG, who has pioneered a commercial wave of Afro-beats throughout his career.

The word ‘Libation‘ relates to a drink poured as an offer to a deity. Therefore, there song’s imagery is innately religious.  The lyric video which accompanies the single adheres to this principle. The background displays a picture of White Jesus, and as the song progresses the painting burns in an open fire. It ties in with the overall meaning of the song, which aims to galvanise people into crumbling the systematic racism that riddles the Western world.

Fuse ODG’s ‘Libation’ is more of a political statement than a single. The bare Afro-beat instrumental foils a war-cry, aimed at racist oppressive structures. Find attached below a clip of the singer educating on the White Jesus imagery that is included in the music video.

View this post on Instagram

but I am Anti ‘White’ Jesus…my reasoning in the video…watch and let’s do the below coz it’s Action time.. This is For the real ones Only….. This weekend is Emancipation weekend. Marking the Emancipation Act of 1st August 1834. This makes the abolishing of slavery but we are still yet to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery till this day! We need to come together on this issue Spiritually & Mentally. TODAY…I will post a new video of the ‘white Jesus’ burning with a brand new track called “Libation” The song is a prayer and a meditation on freedom that came to me directly from the most high earlier this year before the death of George Floyd. It has given me strength during these difficult times and I hope it can do the same for you! All you need to do is repost the video on your stories. Add your countries Flag so we can stand in solidarity Globally and @ the following: @franciscus (The Pope) @justinwelby (Most Senior Bishop in the Church of England) @thechurchofengland Let’s use this as an opportunity to open up a debate and create real change. I mean real change. Let’s goo Let me see a for the truth Gang Love Always Fuse ODG #NowhiteJesus #KnowJesus #TINA

A post shared by Fuse ODG (@fuseodg) on Aug 2, 2020 at 12:53am PDT

‘Isolation Room’ is seven tracks long, and its sole feature is Tiwa Savage on ‘Balance‘. The EP flows with the afro-beat sound, and smooth vocals, that characterise Maleek Berry’s music. It is the artist’s first release of 2020.

‘Isolation Room’ kicks off with the toe-tapping ‘Far Away‘. The opening track reminds listeners of Berry’s vocal range, whilst implementing a catchy hook and effortless flow. The project’s headline track is ‘Balance‘, the aforementioned collaboration with Tiwa Savage. A tangy string sound foils a natural chemistry between the two artists, to create a triumphant afro-beat experience.

The project signs off with the relaxing ‘Konnect‘ and the smooth ‘One Night‘.The latter track includes a velvet melody fortified by the presence of a saxophone. Maleek Berry produced the instrumentals for six of the seven tracks, which demonstrates his talent and versatility as an artist.

Berry took to Instagram to describe his excitement at the new release. He captioned a snippet of the tape with: ‘Thank you to all my fans for being patient! I love you!‘. He signed off the upload with a teaser. ‘This is NOT the album by the way‘, Berry wrote, ‘we still got that coming soon’.

View this post on Instagram

Welcome to the #IsolationRoom 7 new songs , 6 produced by me and track Number 1 produced by my brothers @legendurybeatz Real legends ! Thank you to the queen @tiwasavage for blessing my project with your amazing voice ! Thank you to my fans for being patient! I love you! Papito came to rescue you. This is NOT the album by the way HAHA! We still got that coming soon MEET ME TONIGHT 7PM GMT YOUTUBE.COM/MALEEKBERRY for the visualiser Premiere! “Isolation Room” Available In All Stores Now! Link In Bio

A post shared by Maleek Berry (@maleekberry) on Jul 31, 2020 at 4:13am PDT

A 25 minute visualiser accompanied the release. The clip incorporates deep purple colours and a slow moving animation, which alludes to the intimate experience that ‘Isolation Tapes‘ provides fans.

Maleek Berry’s suave sound infuses throughout ‘Isolation Room‘, and brings the project together. Berry’s musical talent is on full display, and will excite fans after the artist’s album teaser promised that the mix-tape is just the beginning.

Be sure to check out the mix-tape’s visualiser below:

The Manchester-based artist draws on an Afro-beat influence for the vibrant track. ‘Tantrum‘ ripples to a refreshing summery melody, which flows over an easy drum beat. Geko’s vocals act as an accompaniment to the instrumental. His coarse voice pulsates in and out of the foreground, which adds to the relaxing nature of the track.

The visuals echo the track’s calm. The clip depicts Geko riding around suburbia on an electric scooter. The sun is setting, and he is relaxing with friends. The result is a nostalgic accompaniment to the single, which reflects the social aspects of long summer evenings.

View this post on Instagram

VIDEO ON OneTape Records channel LINK IN BIO FOR ALL OTHER PLATFORMS

A post shared by Geko (@realgeko) on Jul 30, 2020 at 11:24am PDT

‘Tantrum’ is his first release this year. However, he has featured on multiple tracks, such as on Nafe Smallz’ ‘Plan Tonight‘. The last few years have been big for Geko. Smash-hits alongside group NSG, such as ‘Yo Darlin‘ and ‘6:30‘, have cemented his profile at the top of the British music scene.

The initial reviews for ‘Tantrum‘ are positive. Website GRM daily has praised the track’s ‘feel-good vibe‘, labelling the new material as ‘fresh‘. The early reviews will be of great relief to Geko, after his long hiatus.

‘Tantrum‘ is a very summery track. The afro-beat inspired instrumental is the perfect accompaniment for the upcoming heat-wave, due to its refreshing nature. The release capitalises on Geko’s reputation as one of the UK’s hottest artists, after a string of previous hits. Initial reviews suggest that ‘Tantrum’ will be Geko’s latest high-profile track, which proves that musical class is permanent after Geko’s time away from the spotlight.

Wonderful combines a warming melody with Burna Boy’s own smokey vocals to deliver a single that evokes feelings of hope, elation and positivism. The Nigerian star explained that he wanted to use the track to show that ‘music is a uniting force that transcends state lines, barriers and boarders‘, and was inspired by ‘the impact of [his] music on people’s lives‘ as well as the ‘joy, pain and pleasure‘ that was shared with him as he ‘toured the world.’ The reviews confirm that his message has been successfully received, with Rolling Stone declaring that its ‘crisp beat‘ and ‘cheerful‘ riff will eventually bring people together on dance floors ‘around the Atlantic‘.

The new album, Twice as Tall, looks to build on the barnstorming success that Burna Boy enjoyed in 2019. His album African Giant earned the artist The Best World Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, and included the single On The Low which was awarded a gold plaque for achieving 15 million streams in France. African Giant was merely the foundation for the artist, as he transitioned into a household name because of features on Stormzy’s Own It and Dave’s Location. He is now considered the undisputed king of Afro-fusion, with the Chicago Sun Times labelling him a ‘pioneer‘ of the wider Afro-beats movement.

Burna Boy, native to the Edo State of Nigeria, has helped popularise a distinctly African genre. He has often cited fellow countryman Fela Kuti as an inspiration. Kuti, who was managed by Burna Boy’s grandfather, is considered as a founding father of the Afro-beat genre. Burna Boy has fused Kuti’s sound with dance-hall rhythm and contemporary western R and B. The result is a cultural, commercial interpretation of continental musical identity. The Grammy winner reflected his African pride in Wonderful, which he described as a ‘note to come home‘ no matter ‘how far you go‘. ‘Above all‘ Burna Boy mused, ‘Africa is home, it is the motherland to all people. For us to truly matter, Africa has to matter‘.

The musician was due to celebrate his summer release with a tour of the United States, however, as a result of current events it has been postponed.The impending popularity of Wonderful, and the sentiment it inspires, proves that mere postponement will not stop Burna Boy’s meteoric rise. The artist has an innate ability to radiate a toe-tapping, crackling, aura through sound. His new single is no exception, as the sun-soaked, bbq sizzled, boozed gardens of the nation will soon discover.