From timeline conversations to new music Fridays, it seems like everything we consume is characterised by high volume and fast pace, and it can become overwhelming at times. As much as one can try to keep up with new releases from rising stars or stay in tune with the latest incoming hits, or discover sounds from countries all around the continent it’s often difficult to cut through the noise to find the songs that speak directly to us. This is where The NATIVE comes in.

In harmony with the tastes of our community, our ‘Songs of the Day’ compiles the recent releases we know our audience both needs and wants to hear. We are keeping you updated on our Fresh Meat alumni, raging over effortless collaborations and diversifying your palette with our genre inclusive picks. This weekend’s round-up includes a potential summer hit from Darkoo, a collaborative song by South African House veteran Oskido and Nigerian singer Niiniola, an ode to money by Starboy singer Terri, a self-assuring song from Preye, and more.

Darkoo – “She Like” (feat. Blanco)

In the time since making her first major splash with “Gangsta”, Darkoo’s subsequent output has earmarked her as a consistent, capable hit-maker, while purposefully expanding the scope of her artistic abilities. Darkoo’s new drop, “She Like”, is a giddy song with high potentials to soundtrack the summer of reopened public spaces. Joined by Blanco, the pair are boastful of their chances with women, owing to their affluence and fame accrued from being rap stars. “We got the hundreds and the figures, no tax/bad b, I hit it to the max”, she raps at the top of her verse, before slipping into her infectious, gruffy voice over the lustrous keys and groovy drums. “She Like” is the second single from Darkoo’s debut EP, ‘2 in 1’, out mid-July.

Oskido – “Banky Banky” (feat. Niniola)

In his illustrious career, spanning 26 years, Oskido has been a fixture in South Africa’s constantly evolving Dance/Electronic music space. A big part of his continued relevance lies in his willingness to grow with the times while keeping in touch with the older sounds he helped pioneer as a DJ, vocalist, songwriter and OAP. On “Banky Banky”, one of the three tracks on his new EP ‘Back to the Future’, he leans into the Amapiano wave that’s the current toast of SA, and he sources guest vocals from Nigerian singer and self-proclaimed queen of Afro-House, Niniola. On the track, Niniola sings with self-convinced prowess and Oskido joins in with a few chanted raps of his own, adding a wizened edge to the lush, mid-tempo pace of the instrumentation.

Sizz the Truth – “For the Bandz”

Early last year, Ghanaian rapper Sizz the Truth dropped his sophomore EP, ‘GreySkies Are Smokescreens’, a 5-song set with loose storytelling and personal resolutions. Well over a year later, he’s still pushing traffic to the EP, especially with the release of the new music video for standout track, “For the Bandz”. Backed by twinkling piano riffs and cavernous 808 bass, Sizz admires a lady who handles her business and can go to whatever lengths she deems necessary. The video splits focus between depicting the song’s theme through cinematic shots, and the visceral effect of its high octane beat as Sizz performs his set with high energy.

Terri – “Money” (feat. Bella Shmurda & Mohbad)

In celebration of his birthday, Starboy Records singer Terri dropped “Money”, a proclamation of constant desire to fill his pocket and live his best life. “More money, more money/anything wey better pass more money na more money”, he sings over Tuzi’s delightful guitars and live drums. He’s joined by Bella Shmurda and Mohbad, both singers following his lead by detailing their materialistic and hedonistic intents when money isn’t a worry.

Preyé – “Peace of Mind”

Around this time last year, majority of the world was knee-deep into lockdown measures in order to combat the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Written in the throes of lockdown, Preyé’s “Peace of Mind” is reminiscent of the fight to stay sane in a time of “overwhelming sad news, limited movement and barely being around loved ones.” At that it’s more emblematic of the positive mind-set that that helped the singer get through that period. “I must to find me/I must to love me/I must to see me, with all of my heart/I must to be me”, she sings on the balmy chorus over light piano chords and jazzy drums, interjecting each line with “someway, somehow”. In its accompanying video, Preyé sings and prances with a bubbly fervour, projecting an unassailable optimism that makes her lived-in lyricism even more riveting.

Skales & Davido – “This Your Body”

When we last spoke to Skales, the singer made his newfound appreciation for life explicit. A year later, he’s seems to still be counting his blessings and making new songs destined for dancefloor audiences. “This Your Body” is his latest release, an Amapiano-infused song with assistance from apex pop-star Davido. From its title, the song is predictably centred on both singers being enamoured by the physique of their love interest, as they sing of the raunchy intentions and the lengths they would go to in order to woo these women. Nothing about this song is remotely novel, but it reinforces the flair for dance music Skales and Davido have become popular for, to varying degrees of success.

Azekel – “DUPĖ”

There’s a quiet but deeply electrifying feeling when you meet someone and the level/dimension of attraction is mutual. In that moment, you might find yourself thanking the Higher Power you believe in. That’s the basis of Azekel’s “DUPĖ”, a song where the ecstasy of reciprocal attraction inspires appreciation for the divine. “How did you read my mind/can tell that you’re in tune”, he sings over the soulful folk instrumentation. Although he goes on to butcher the enunciation of the sole Yoruba line—“Mo fe dupe baba” (I want to thank you, Father”)—his expression is clear and relatable.

@dennisadepeter is a staff writer at the NATIVE.

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