It is not every day you listen to an artiste who fully expresses himself through his music. This rarity is what Chyme brilliantly pulls off on the genre-blending EP, Acknowledgements. Chyme, a Canadian-based Nigerian musician belongs in the class of artistes referred to as Alte, with the genre-blending musical approach associated with this scene, taking centerstage on his project. The EP combines Rap, Afropop and Dancehall into a fine blend of Afro-fusion.
Genres: Afro-fusion, Rap, Afropop, Dancehall.
The EP opens with a short rap intro, aptly titled Preface. Chyme is rapping about the realities of life on this track, and his impeccable flow gives the listener a clear idea of what to expect from this project. Like-Dat is a pop track with a very catchy hook, that you will be singing along to in no time. The smooth transition from rap to pop, shows all there is to know about Chyme’s versatility. Alive, a song about finding one’s self after a fall is one of the standout tracks on Acknowledgements. This song ticks all the boxes for reliability, replay value and sonic excellence. On Noelle, Chyme goes back to rapping but this time he is sing-rapping (another testament of his versatility). The Latino vocals from the featured artiste perfectly complements his rap. On Slide, Chyme raps and sings about his love interest and her many demands. Chyme switches to Dancehall on Extra, and he pulls it off quite nicely. We hear some witty rap lines on Suaree, the most laid-back song on the EP. Chyme takes us to the beginning on Infinity, rapping about events that shaped his personality and music. I will take a wild guess that Chyme believes in saving the best for the last, as Infinity is the climax of this solid body of work.
Writer’s Thoughts: The first thing that stands out on this EP, is the excellent tracklisting. It starts with a rap performance and ends with another rap performance, with the songs in between flowing into each other nicely. The production is of top quality, and Chyme laid his vocals with great execution. Acknowledgements is a solid acknowledgement of the immense talent which this artiste possesses. He showed range, great songwriting skills as well as relatability, all of which came together to form an enjoyable body of work. Chyme is one to look out for.
Standout Tracks: Alive, Extra, Noelle, Infinity.
Rating: 7/10.
