THE CUTS: EP 06 VOL. 2 (Shades of Love Edition)
THE CUTS is a short weekly review of songs, videos and albums that you need to hear. The songs and videos covered are not genre or region specific. If we find it dope, we’ll share our thoughts on it here.
Sister Deborah ft. Y’Akoto – Somebody
Many of you reading this are very familiar with Sister Deborah. A handful may know about Y’Akoto, the versatile German-based, Ghanaian singer. The two acts have found a way of flexing their music styles on the former’s new single “Somebody“. At the pillar of the Kuvie produced record is their desire to shower boundless love and affection on their respective crushes.
Over Kuvie’s minimal, xylophone driven production, Sister Deborah literally begs her crush to be open to a her declaration of love, expressed through singing and short rap couplets. Y’Akoto spreads some vocal magic over the record by way of singing. Though the hook of the song suggests her desire for “somebody who loves me”, Sister Deborah is ready and willing to treat her lover right. “Somebody” is the second single off her upcoming EP “African Mermaid”
Kobla Jnr ft. Ria Boss – OnChill
This collaboration between Kobla Jnr and Ria Boss is one I never expected considering the musical terrain each artiste plays on. Kobla Jnr is more afro-fusion whereas Ria Boss makes her bed on RnB/soul/blues turf. Seeing these two bend towards each other’s turf on “OnChill” is dope. Despite its short running time of 1 minute, 55 seconds, the dancehall tinged “OnChill”, showcases the vocal range and style of the two artistes: Kobla Jnr’s timbre voice melds excellently with Ria Boss’ sugary vocals. I wish I could get more of the record and also, a collaborative EP from these two artistes.
Ogranya ft. Efya – Wicked
They say its when you lose on love that you sit back to take stock of of your deeds. ”Wicked” rides on the same wavelength. Ogranya is blessed with a voice that oozes warmth and vulnerability. He could also bend his voice to fit any musical style. He manifested this on his last project “Eden Evermore”, where he delivered noteworthy performances songs like August XXV and Higher. Be it RnB, afro-fusion or reggae, his vocal tone is one of his greatest asset.
On ‘Wicked’’, his new single featuring Efya, Ogranya delves into the ‘love is wicked’ narrative. His loving efforts could not hold the flames of his relationship alive. Ogranya’s whispery voice does add an aching verve to his tale. Efya’s rendition carries more vigour; offering balance, both in melody and perspectives. “Wicked”, as the song is titled carries a mellow RnB/Soul chill; a perfect fit for your playlist
St. Beryl – Mr Casanova
The first time I saw St. Beryl was somewhere in August, 2019 at the Black Star International Film Festival musical event. Her cover of Wanlov’s ‘’Toto’’ made an impression on me. So, to hear her performing her own song is nothing short of exciting. A love gone sour record, Mr. Casanova is a soulful ballad with big chucking piano surrounding it. St. Beryl’s haunting cry and expression of hurt is flagrant. The video for ‘’Mr. Casanova’’ carries a retro feel, thanks to St. Beryl’s looks. Wanlov, who is featured in the song plays a ballerino.
Kofi Kunta – Suicidal
Kofi Kunta has been on a roll for a while working himself up the music ladder. From putting out covers to recording his own tracks, Kofi’s path to growth has been incremental. As a rapper, he is not stuck to one music style, he keeps evolving with the sound- and his music also reflect his own reality or those close to him. On his latest output ‘’Suicidal’’, Kofi Kunta recounts how a bad relationship is driving him to the brink. Over trap beat, he adopts a melody driven rap style to express his disappointment at the turn of events. The use of auto-tune to correct his pitch is a good idea. However, it could not conceal his lack of vocal range.
