By Daniel Adebajo
The Ghana-Nigeria relationship within musical realms has been an age-old tale dating back to the late ’60s. The father of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, who had a well-documented affinity for the nation of Ghana, drew inspiration from the best highlife artists for his eventual creation. Sweet Songs 4 You is the latest child of said relationship.
From the dawn of the millennium spanning the course of almost 2 decades, the bond has only grown tighter between two of Africa’s powerhouses. Both have provided us with classic moments such as Tic Tac & Tony Tetuila’s Fefe Ne Fe, Patoranking & Sarkodie’s No Kissing Baby, or even R2Bees’ smash hits Kiss Your Hand (with Wande Coal) and Slow Down (with Wizkid).
As of recent, thanks to the advent of the ‘TikTok age,’ we have been made witness to the success of new age tunes like Gabzy & King Promise’s Perfect Combi and Camidoh’s Sugarcane remix featuring an appearance from Nigeria’s Darkoo & Mayorkun (the latter’s verse specifically having the platform in a chokehold throughout 2022). Although these collaborations produced some of the most pivotal tracks on the continent, none have attempted to capture the synergy in the context of a body of work until now.
On the surface, the pairing of TML Vibez & Lasmid may seem like an atypical contrast from what we are used to from this cultural dynamic, with Lasmid operating in the melodic highlife field while TML’s roots lie in edgy Street Hop with heavy influence from Fuji. Though showing signals of what they are capable of with the first collab being TML’s Maria, news of this project attracted nothing but excitement in anticipation.
From the opener Ghana Jollof, Sweet Songs 4 You instantly delivers on its title, offering a gentle breeze in the form of soft backing vocals and pleasant percussions to add a layer of texture as the two artists passionately admire their lovers, cleverly comparing them to the respective rice cuisine.
The romantic eagerness carries itself into Track 2 meet 4 corner with Lasmid starting off the track confessing raw emotions with lines such as ‘your body dey make I go mad’ before entering a chorus which is simplistic yet so heartfelt based on organic delivery. TML’s contributions to this track are short but sweet, with his ability to play with intertwined English & Yoruba elevating the track immensely, capturing an essence comparable to a Nollywood plotline.
Next track Ololufe plays out with similar sentiments, only this time we hear the duo over some bouncier upbeat production incorporating knocking kicks and rhythmic bells suitable to assist in a real island feel. Delightedly this would be where the tempo of the project would begin its significant switch as need your love opens the floor for a dancehall moment giving TML one of his clear standout verses on the EP displaying the perfect balance of a bad boy flair who can openly show sensual passion for his lover.
abena gives the first experimental composition of the EP infusing Puerto Rican Bachatón which, although slightly alters the direction, is executed flawlessly with the star of the track being the consistent dembow percussion rhythms. Vocally, Lasmid introduces a new approach to the project with an almost slurred delivery, adding an intentional element of surprise to a track which feels like two lovers at peak ecstasy. The next few tracks follow with an Amapiano moment in magic and first single olivia, an intimate standalone projection from Lasmid. Accurately, he conveys thoughts of an individual led to intoxicating substances due to intense heartbreak.
To close out the project, we are delivered a run of tracks that depict celebration; la fête introduces the only vocal feature of the entire EP in Gabon’s L’Oiseau Rare who centres his appearance around enjoying the benefits of his riches with his ‘day ones’, also matching the female centred theme uttered in other instances by the duo.
Then it’s TML’s turn for a standalone moment with bon appetit, assisted by DJ Spinall, finally putting a full-fledged spotlight on the street swagger we have come to associate with the artist. Sweet Songs 4 You ultimately ends in an unpredictable fashion with dlvr, a Young Jonn reminiscent number. Both artists riding the up-tempo log drum beat with choppy Rap-inspired schemes create the sonic environment similar to the soundtrack of an amusement park (this idea heightens further with the additional crowd vocals placed with Lasmid’s verse).
Overall, Sweet Songs 4 You shines boldly, flourishing in most of the necessary aspects on a ‘hit record’ checklist. Thematically, we are taken on an intentional journey of romance narrated neatly through exceptional songwriting, incorporating respective native dialects and focused track arrangements. The inclusion of lone singles showcases each party’s respective talents, but on tracks together, the chemistry is evident, with one never sounding like they are outshining the other.
Sweet Songs 4 You was created to be a pivotal moment in the West African’s musical evolution, and Lasmid & TML Vibez most definitely completed the feat. We hope for this to be the spark that inspires a wave of Ghanaian and Nigerian artists to collaborate in more full-length landscapes.
Standout Tracks: olivia, dlvr, la fête, ghana jollof, meet me 4 corner, abena.
Best Production: dlvr
Best Track Run: abena – magic – olivia
Production: 9/10
Songwriting: 9/10
Track Arrangement: 9/10
Replay Value: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Rating: 9/10
