THE CUTS: EP 03 VOL. 9
THE CUTS is a weekly round-up of songs and videos that has caught our attention or think you must hear. The music featured here aren’t genre specific. THE CUTS is delivered every FRIDAY
Ebo Taylor –Mumudey Mumudey
If there’s any Ghanaian artist who makes better afrobeat than Ebo Taylor, then I’m yet to know him or her. For more than 5 decades, the veteran musician has not only released some of the finest Ghanaian highlife albums you’d ever hear, but also dipped his hands into the music of colleague artists in helping them make the best records ever.
The septuagenarian seems not to be slowing down anytime soon. He has a new album on the way titled ‘’Yen Ara’’ (We), a 9 track album set for release next month. The first single ‘’Mumudey Mumudey’’ doesn’t deviate from what we know Uncle Ebo Taylor for: triumphant trumpets, kolomashie drums, glittering guitar rhythms all mashed in highlife fervour. ‘’Mumudey Mumudey’’ is an old rendition made new and Ghanaians would recognize the song title and some of the phrases he uses on the song. Like most of his songs, ‘’Mumudey Mumudey’’, recorded live with his Saltpond City Band is a story about a handsome man with high fashion sense.
Listen to the song here
GuiltyBeatz feat Mr. Eazi, Paapy Kojo and Pataapa – Akwaaba
Akwaaba was a hit as soon as it was released a week ago. From radio to the clubs and open air pubs, the song elicited massive response from the crowd. With many parody videos made by various dancers from various parts of the world, the official video is out. Like the song itself, the video doesn’t disappoint either. It’s stunning, colourful, energetic and beautiful to watch.
Shot in what look like a bunker, dance groups, identifiable by their resplendent outfits took turns to showcase their dancing steps in a battle format. Why they didn’t introduce viewers to the song’s dance move from the beginning but towards the end of the video is one of surprise. But, hey, the director knows best.
Freda Rhymes – Jammin’
https://youtu.be/AKo1eVu3Vpc
When she got signed to Black Avenue Muzik, many were unsure if Freda Rhymes may veer off her rap/hip hop style to a more afro pop leaning. But, it seems she’s not. On her new single, Jammin’, she hops on this DJ Breezy hip hop/trap beat and stamps her lyrical skills over it. From dropping punchlines and some musical or rap references. Jammin’ is all about laying bare her credentials as a rapper, a female for that matter who finds herself in a testosterone filled rap scene over various rap styles. From disclosing how lyrical she is on the first verse, she caps it up with the reminder that she is always jamming.
Mvstlxveblvck (Lois Blay) feat Yaw Black – Bra Men Kyen
There are things that lovers miss about each other which are mostly the little things. It’s these things that singer mvstlxveblvck shares on her song, ‘’Bra Men Kyen’’ (Come To Me). In a ‘letter’ to her lover, she discloses what she misses about him: his conversations, how he speaks and his perfume’ and she’s so much in love, thus her clamouring for the person’s presence in her life. The skeletal afro pop beat, produced by Psyko and mixed by Kopow, allows her calm, controlled voice to slide over the beat.
Switching between English, Twi and a bit of pidgin (on the hook), and employing harmonies as fillers where necessary, she, unlike others, doesn’t anglicize the Twi phrases like others do. Yaw Blvck, playing her lover shares his dilemma when it came to expressing his feelings towards her-‘she being out of his league’ and maybe he’s ‘too much for her’’
Almighty Trei feat Skillz – Take Your Time
https://soundcloud.com/rtj_2/almighty-trei-take-your-time?in=rtj_2/sets/astro-ep
Like the title amply suggest, this song is about doing things at your own pace. Trie and Skillz over afro trap element talk about how the pessimistic tried to ‘slow my roll’ and their ability to self-motivate. Take Your Time is found on his 5 track Astro EP released March 16th. Whereas Trie sticks to pure rap and delivering a catchy hook, Skillz swings between rapping and singing. From the song, you could sense they had fun making the record and the chemistry between them shines across.
ToyBoi feat Kelvin Bwoy – Do Or Die
ToyBoi’s talent as a rapper isn’t in doubt. If you’ve been checking out the mini videos GroundUp Chale post on their twitter timeline, you may have realized his dopeness. His song, Do or Die is about love. Interpolating Dasebre Dwamena’s classic ‘Kokooko’ lyrics, ToyBoi and Kelvin Bwoy assure their lovers of their eternal love.
The song’s video is inspired by the 70s judging by the fashion sense, automobile used and the ‘homes’ they lived in. Prince Dovlo, the video director, also graded the video to match the times. Inserting a scene of a guy reading a 1973 Ghanaian Times newspaper. Nightlife in the 70s are spoken about with such nostalgia by those who experienced it. A sense of it was captured in the
DredW- Learning Sessions
DredW has worked and produced songs for the likes of Mr. Eazi, DJ Juls, EL among others since deciding to go into music a couple of years ago. Having earned looks from industry players, he has now released his debut beat tape ‘Learning Sessions’.
A nine song tape beat with two just two features – J-Town and Shaker- who were kept on the hooks, ”Learning Sessions” is a mix bag of sounds which DredW hopes would inspire rappers to hop on.
