Music has continued to sustain our sense of community as we all navigate the chaos of the world around us. Artists have kept the party going with new relatable songs that helps us remember the good old days (before the pandemic), dream of a better tomorrow, or just enjoy the present moment. Because we know the volume can be overwhelming sometimes, we’ve decided to highlight the best songs released from around the world, thrice a week, in a bid to put that extra pep in your steps as you go through the rest of the year.

We covered the new releases from Namibian rapper, Lioness, Olayinka Ehi, Tiwa Savage, King Perry and PsychoYP, TaavTheHuman and Isaac Lörd, and Aux Zenith to set the perfect mood for the weekend. Now we are starting the week with the latest releases from Niniola, Shatta Wale, Moshfire, SirBastien, Ayüü, July Drama, Tosin, Flavour and Phyno. Enjoy.

Chu-Chu – “Electra” Feat. WANI

American-based Afropop singer, Chu-Chu has followed up his  2019 debut, “Killing Me” with a double single release titled ‘Electra and You’. Both songs are worth a listen but the track that caught our ear the most is the collab with one of our all-time favorites, WANI on “Electra”.

Dazzling synths, soulful percussion, and laidback drums set the excited tone for Chu-Chu and WANI’s sweet vocals addressed at their respective love interests. WANI already proved himself a formidable and efficient dancefloor filler with a gooey soft spot with his romantic-Afropop catalog and he lives up to his reputation with this catchy set, admitting to his obsession with his lover; “If you see me in the club with my dark shades on/ You should know I got her on my mind/ It’s like all the time”. Though the dancefloor isn’t employed as a plot device on Chu-Chu’s verse, his r&b-inspired flow and hearty lyrics about his romantic feelings deliver “Electra”‘s love message succinctly. The same romantic message carries on to the second song, “You” as Chu-Chu returns with aplomb.

SirBastien – “Addis Ababa” Feat. Ayüü, July Drama, Tosin

Being a producer/artist combo allows SirBastein to build his own sound with an extra dedication to specific details. He introduced listeners to his beach-music soundscape on ‘Mango’, his debut tape from last year. And though his breezy synths and lightweight harmonies have reflected on other artists like Ilaye, YMK, and Judo who he has produced for, we can finally get immersed in his soothing Caribbean harmonies as he just released his sophomore tape, ‘Mango Island’.

The project features Maya Amolo, Eri Ife, Remy Baggins, and others who join him at the sandy beach. The standout track, “Addis Ababa” brings Ayüü, July Drama, Tosin into SirBastien’s beach-inspired universe as they sing over the lightweight mix of soft percussions, rattling samples, twinkling guitars, and laidback drum riffs produced by SirBastien. Each artist takes turns performing their verses describing how they fell in love at the beach. If you close your eyes and listen to the meticulously detailed instrumentals, you can almost feel the wind in your face.

Shatta Wale – “Kumerica”

Shatta Wale’s standout performance on “Already” made it to the soundtrack that featured on Barack Obama’s 2020 Summer playlist, and now his latest single, “Kumerica” seems to be a warm welcoming embrace for his American audience.

Produced by Pac, the drill beat for Shatta Wale’s “Kumerica” and the synth-heavy beat sets a menacing backdrop for Shatta Wale to detail his criminal lifestyle to reach his goal of being powerful, wealthy enough money to stunt. Maybe this isn’t a warm embrace after all. It’s such a convincing drill song, it’s hard not to hear it as a threat to American drill artists who have to compete with an accomplished dancehall king whose unafraid to experiment with the new sound.

Flavour – “Chop Life” Feat. Phyno

Phyno and Flavour teamed up for a celebratory new single, “Chop Life” earlier this month, and now they’ve supported the collaboration with an accompanying video to match.

Over the mid-tempo highlife beat produced by MasterKraft, Flavour and Phyno remind us to be grateful for our lives. With Flavour’s catchy melodies and Phyno’s relaxed flow, the mood is jovial and the TG Omori translates that into a party-themed video. The opening scene is set at a road-side buka where Flavour, Phyno and some actors are seen enjoying their meal. We later watch them selling beers then later, celebrating their successful business. You get the sense that “Chop Life” is an ad for the beer brand featured in the video, but at least the song is honest and the video doesn’t hide the fact that business is booming.

Moshfire – “Thinking of You”

Countless songs have been written to capture the feeling of falling in love. The way Moshfire tells it on her latest single, “Thinking of You”, it’s a dangerous and reckless adventure that everyone should avoid at all cost. Her lyrics, “I’ve been losing my mind all day/ Risking my life just by falling for you/ I will do anything/ What do you say?“, are addressed at a lover she’s chasing.

If the obsessive lyrics weren’t already scandalous, her soft cadence and the drums like a pounding headache make the song feel like the soundtrack to a horror film about the extremes people are willing to go for love. The synths, xylophone harmonies, guitar riff, and twitchy funk rhythm lend the song a captivating allure while she confesses how completely she has fallen in love with her muse. Saying “That is why I can’t stop chasing you” triggers this writer’s stalker alert, but then, the whole song screams extreme risk. Moshfire’s blunt treatment of obsessive love is compelling in its ludic depiction of passionate attraction.

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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Catch up on all the songs releases from last week