As the sun’s long-awaited arrival signals the beginning of summer, we’ve been turning the volume up on the latest releases from African artists worldwide for this season’s new soundtrack. Ghanaian-American Afropop star Amaarae and Nigerian Afrobeats powerhouse Asake dropped flashy, boundary-pushing albums with Fountain Baby and Work of Art, respectively. But they’re not alone — both Omah Lay and Ckay dropped off deluxe editions of their recent albums with additional tracks, while Zinoleesky and Fireboy DML released eye-catching singles to herald future releases.
We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new Afrobeats (and related) songs that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and find your new summer soundtrack with our Spotify playlist below.
Reekado Banks, Adekunle Gold & Maleek Berry, “Feel Different”
Nigerian singer Reekado Banks recruits Adekunle Gold and Maleek Berry for the feel-good single about a girl whose love makes them “Feel Different.” All three men try to convince themselves they’re better off alone – with Banks singing “If I fall again, I go look so dumb/ I no wan look so dumb/ So I will never never fall again” and Gold singing “Run, run, run, run/ I be running all alone” with a rock guitar hit underlining his point – but ultimately realize they’d go to great lengths just to be with her.
Bloody Civilian, “Escapism”
Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer Bloody Civilian blends amapiano’s log drums with pitched-up EDM vocal chops on “Escapism,” the first track off her experimental debut EP Anger Management. The repetition of her airy “Shoulda smoked that s–t since morning” line creates a carefree mantra she uses to distract herself from the disorderly world around her. But it’s her lithe, pacifying voice that assures listeners they don’t need to turn to vices to find hope.
Amaarae, “Princess Going Digital”
Amaarae’s plea in “Princess Going Digital,” from her critically acclaimed sophomore album Fountain Baby, is crystal clear: “Take me out the streets.” The synth-heavy, crystalline pop track follows the singer as she finds a potential partner that could put an end to her BS-riddled search for love. Vocalist/producer Maesu – who was previously featured on Amaarae’s “Fantasy,” alongside CKay – echoes her sentiments (literally) while promising the princess whatever she wants – just as long as it’s not commitment. “You know it’s just game, girl, you know how it goes,” he sings.
Tay Iwar & Juls, “Summer Breeze”
Tay Iwar teams up with frequent collaborator Juls for the breezy ode to summer off his aptly titled EP Summer Breeze. On its title track, Iwar’s featherweight melodies float over Juls’ dizzying jazz saxophone riffs and scintillating percussion that’s reminiscent of palmwine music. Lyrics like “Tease me baby and turn me on” and “What a sweet release I need” suggest a “Summer Breeze” isn’t the only thing that gets Iwar going, but it’s certainly one of the most divine highlights of this time of year.
Asake, “Lonely at the Top”
Asake offers a bittersweet reflection on “Lonely at the Top,” from his highly anticipated sophomore album Work Of Art. With a backing choir and introspective instrumentation (courtesy of producer Blaisebeatz), the fast-rising star sings about his chasing his lofty dreams of superstardom, while putting on his blinders to avoid the naysayers — and understanding the isolation that comes with it. But Asake remains unfazed while pursuing success, because there can only be one Mr. Money Ginger.
Omah Lay, “reason”
Executing the tried-and-true strategy of capitalizing off a popular release with a deluxe edition, Omah Lay reissued last year’s Boy Alone with five new tracks, including the powerful, insistent “reason.” Kicking off with a palm-muted guitar riff, Omah Lay layers vocals to hypnotic effect, questioning existence and purpose on a track that is at once consistent with and a departure from what we’ve come to expect from him.
Fireboy DML, “YAWA”
Fusing some of his R&B grooves with amapiano drums and a layered, triumphant hook, Fireboy delivers one of his best singles of the year — which is saying something, considering his output so far. He kicks the track off with a few lines in English before slipping into Yoruba, where he flows more comfortably, and puts a ton of energy and passion into it, which comes out clearly on the track.
Asake, “Sunshine”
Asake’s Work of Art album speaks for itself, and is so cohesive that it’s difficult to single out individual tracks to shine a light on. Luckily, there’s plenty to choose from — and “Sunshine” has one of the more memorable hooks on the album, a song brimming with positivity and Asake’s trademark angelic choral flourishes. It’s sometimes remarkable how agile he is with his flows given the sheer weight of musicality that each of his tracks brings to bear, but he is a rare artist for whom seemingly everything works. Check out the full album if you don’t believe us.
Ckay, “nwayi”
Ckay has carved a lane, both melodically and with his subject matter, as the poster child for “emo Afrobeats” (hence the name of his album, Sad Romance) — and this track is right in the sweet spot, paved by his first two major hits, “Love Nwantiti” and “Emiliana.” He’s become truly adept at these breezy earworms laced with sweet nothings, and this is directly in that lineage.
Zinoleesky, “A1 (Feeling Disorder)”
Brisk to the point of breathless is the Zinoleesky flow, and “A1” is the latest entry in his ever-growing canon. Built around a conflicted story of sex and love — or one instead of the other — the song hurtles into a bridge with brief introspection (“I’m emotionally downcast…”) before picking the pace up right where it left off, with a beat that propels him further every second. There’s a self-assurance to his flow that comes across on every track of his — “A1” is up there among his best.
