Adekunle Gold - Fuji - VINYL LP

Work of Art is not merely a sophomore album; it is a victory lap run with the precision of a master artist. Following the stratospheric global ascent of his debut, Mr. Money with the Vibe, Asake faced the kind of pressure that usually demands a pivot. Instead, he treated that intensity like clay, sculpting a project that feels at once more expansive in scale and more intimate in spirit. Released in 2023, the album serves as a definitive statement on Asake's sonic identity, deepening his signature fusion of Amapiano, Fuji-inspired percussion, and Afrobeats while moving with a newfound sense of deliberate poise.If his debut was a high-octane sprint to introduce his sound to the world, Work of Art is a confident stroll through his own creative museum. Anchored once again by the masterful production of Magicsticks, the album serves as the perfect architectural space for Asake's erratic, infectious flows. The record feels richly textured-brimming with pulsating log drums, soulful samples, and the specific, ecstatic chaos of Lagos nightlife. Asake successfully bridges the gap between traditional Yoruba heritage and the deep, percussive basslines of South African Amapiano, resulting in a sound that feels simultaneously ancestral and futuristic.The project thrives on a unique duality it is introspective, yet undeniably club-ready. Tracks like InchAmapiano,Inch featuring Olamide, provide the anthemic energy his fans crave, while cuts like InchBasquiatInch showcase a lyrical swagger that frames his life as high art set to a relentless four-on-the-floor beat. By leaning into his InchMr. MoneyInch persona with added vulnerability and a clearer focus on the craftsmanship of his vocal delivery, Asake avoids the dreaded sophomore slump entirely. He proves that he isn't just making pop songs; he is curating a moment. Ultimately, Work of Art captures the feeling of an artist standing

Syncho Sound System & Power features the music of Nigeria Fuji Machine, which includes some of the country's finest Fuji master drummers and singers, and is newly recorded by Soul Jazz Records in Lagos, Nigeria.Fuji is the heavily percussive and improvisational style of Nigerian popular music, at once modern and yet deeply rooted in the traditional Islamic Yoruba culture of Nigeria, a hi-energy street music which evolved out of the Islamic celebration of Ramadan. Here on this album Nigeria Fuji Machine's striking and powerful lead vocalist Taofik Yemi Fagbenro soars above a wild and energetic backdrop of polyrhythms played on traditional talking drums, trap drums, electronic and street percussion to create a powerful wall of intense sound.By the early 1970s this music had crossed-over into popular Nigerian culture where it came to be known as Fuji, first made popular by the artist Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. In the 1970s and 1980s three Nigerian artists King Sunny Ad, Chief Ebonezer Obey and Fela Kuti all secured international major record deals bringing popularity to the Nigerian musical styles of Juju (Ad and Obey) and Afro-Beat (Fela Kuti's unique mixture of highlife, funk and jazz) abroad, but in the process ignoring much of Nigeria's rich musical landscape. Fuji is, alongside Highlife, Juju, Afro-Beat, Sakara, Afro-Reggae, Waka, Igbo rap, Apala and numerous others one of these central styles of Nigerian music.The singer Barrister described the music as follows Fuji music is a combination of music consisting of Sakara, Apala, Juju, Aro, Afro, Gudugudu, and possibly Highlife. Today it remains a popular music with deep Islamic roots which continues to modernise and Nigeria Fuji Machine's Syncho Sound System & Power is a powerful and intense musical experience.A1. Iba2. Orin Gidi3. Ilu4. Eyo SeseB1. Garaje2. Ore Owe3. Ire

Olatuja is a band, a project, an album full of the uplifting, joyful music of the African diaspora, and a beacon of healing in a divided world. Michael 'Leye' Olatuja first met Alicia 'Lisa' Olatuja when both were students at Manhattan School Of Music. With an A-list supporting cast including drummers Obed Calvaire and Joshua Keitt, guitarists Femi Temowo and David Rosenthal, percussionist Magatte Sow and star pianist Christian Sands, Michael and Alicia set about creating Olatuja - an album that is at once cinematic in scope and intimate and personal in it's message of trust, joy and the power of honest communication.