ALBUM REVIEWS
E D I T O R ' S C H O I C E
J o e b o y : S o m e w h e r e B e t w e e n B e a u t y a n d M a g i c
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Joeboy is like a favourite child to Nigerian superstar Mr . Eazi . The 23-year-old ' s career grew under the emPawa brand . In 2019 , he first served fans with his debut EP , ' Love & Light '. The five-track project included the smash hits Baby , Beginning , and Don ’ t Call Me Back featuring Mayorkun . In 2020 , he enjoyed success as part of the collaborative single ' Nobody ', by DJ Neptune , and also featuring his mentor , Mr . Eazi . Following a string of successful singles , Joeboy released his debut album , ' Somewhere Between Beauty and Magic ' - a 14 track record about love . Is the album worth the wait ?
Joeboy introduces himself whilst claiming his stake in the music industry on ' Count Me Out .' The love theme begins with the second track ' Focus ', which speaks of unrequited love . ' Number One ' keeps it short and sweet as a lover ' s position as number one is affirmed . The song is a reminder of ' Baby ' whilst riding on a mid-tempo beat . ' Police ' is one of the album ' s standout tracks , featuring strong production , catchy lyrics , and a lot of positive energy . ' Door ' is upbeat and danceable , offering lots of room for both drums and guitar . On ' Show Me ', Joeboy yearns for physical touch . The upbeat track has a mellow background chord that cuts through guitar sessions and percussions . ' Runaway ' takes on the magical aspect of love as the singer affirms his love . ' Lonely ' continues with the theme of magic as the song addresses yearning for one ' s loved one . Joeboy sings , " I don ' t want to be lonely tonight ." Diverting from the love theme into social consciousness is ' Consent '. The singer addresses women ' s rights and the issue of consent . The single is a blend of Afrobeats and Amapiano with African chants . " Oh " is high tempo and danceable . ' Oshe ' offers a mature beat with a lounge vibe for easy listening . A Killertunes production , ' Sugar Mama ' includes a rhythmic flow of lyrics , ad-libs , and backdrops . Joeboy describes the ideals of a sugar mama relationship . The guitar intro to " Better Things " elevates it to one of the album ' s standout tracks . The song is filled with words of wisdom , riding on mellow vibes . To close off the record is ' Celebration '. The single , which was preloaded and accompanied by colourful visuals , is exactly about celebrating . This feel-good song is mid-tempo with distinct guitars and percussions . Again , Joeboy shares pearls of wisdom , calling listeners to celebrate life and all its beauty .
O v e r a l l R e v i e w
The overall theme of the record is love and Joeboy stated that the album title defined that . ' Somewhere Between Beauty and Magic ' is a consistent record in theme and style sonically , There are plenty of chart-topping hits . Some tracks distinguished themselves and showcased great production making this a great debut album for Joeboy .
Rate : 4 / 5 Groove Speakers
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