Video & Audio: Map projections

Mercator's a liar

Rema: “Smooth Criminal”

The Native has named Rema, Tems, and Asake the “New Big 3” of Nigerian pop, and in Rema’s case this is disproportionately based on one song, though admittedly the correctly titled “Calm Down” might be the broadest international hit of African origin since like “Mbube”/“Wimoweh”. Here’s something donkier and probably better that poses little risk of a Selena Gomez remix.

Tems: “Me & U”

Fellow Big 3 member Tems became a worldwide radio mainstay through some 2020 releases and a few guest spots for Drake; here, she finally joins the donk era. Mostly though this is smooth, easy listening that should keep R&B stations occupied for the next year or so.

Tanner Adell: “Buckle Bunny”

It sounds like she heard “Daddy Lessons” and decided to make that her whole sonic thing. She might be dressed in sexy cowgirl attire, but the attitude is pure hip-hop—plenty of rappers drive trucks too, it’s an (unfortunate) American thing. Country music: isn’t it great?

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: “Gila Monster”

Not sure why I hadn’t listened to any of the eleven billion songs in the Gizzverse before now. Oh right, the band name. This one understands that repetitive nonsense can be better than clever nonsense as long as you have a competent guitarist and a catchy chorus, and the band seems to be having fun. If they ever write words as good “gila, gila, gila” again, I’ll happily listen to a second song.

Leila Maria & Zola Star: “Soweto/Tobina”

Finally, the MPB-Congolese rumba fusion I’ve been yearning for since, well, 2017, when Zola Star made a pretty good album that threatened greatness when he made more use of Brazilian elements. In contrast, this takes singer Leila Maria’s sophistication as a starting point, and the funk achieved is as deep as one could hope for.

Jiraya Uai & MC Tarapi: “Hoje Tem Rodeio, Baile de Favela”

Just when the global north got over cowboy parodies, here’s one from baile funk latitudes. Someone blows a harmonica and spaghetti comes out, a heavily-plucked riff seems convinced it’s from west of somewhere (lots of planets have a west), MC Tarapi sings extremely out of tune. Country music: isn’t it great?

(Also: the video has someone in a Mario suit and someone really needs to explain to me the significance of retro gaming to Brazilian youth culture.)

Camilo & Alejandro Sanz: “NASA”

I’ve been going back through Edgar Barrera’s recent back catalog looking for further evidence for my argument that he’s the writer-producer of the moment. This Columbian-Spanish summit was the best I found, with the usual big tune and savvy yet non-intrusive software sweetening. All musical conclusions pale in comparison to the sheer visual contrast between Camilo and Alejandro, however: they look like the head and deputy of a Latin American coalition government that’s going to collapse in six months.

Ka Hao ft. Rob Ruha: “35”

I don’t expect much of my readership to identify with a youth choir singing about New Zealand’s easternmost state highway unless your dad was literally born in Gisborne, but you might appreciate the way they blend Jamaican and Māori grooves into something that goes down like a chardonnay.

Focalistic, EeQue, & Thama Tee: “Khekheleza (Dlala Dlala)”

With SA dance progressing so quickly that it’s only a matter of time before somebody coins “post-amapiano” (wait… ah shit), it’s refreshing to see a relatively classicist song can still hit thanks to some decent rapping and a catchy hook. Dlala dlala bills, y’all.

Kane Brown: “I Can Feel It”

I’m glad Nashvillemoth has finally found a use for Brown that I enjoy, licensing him to use Cash vocal fry and finish his phrases at subwoofer frequencies. It’s true he gets considerable technological assistance, but this seems proper when you’re covering-not-covering “In the Air Tonight”.

Odumodublvck, Bloody Civilian, Wale: “Blood on the Dance Floor”

Yet another Nigerian appropriating South African electrobeats, this time a rapper inventing Afropiandrill. Odumodu doesn’t have the most prepossessing flow, but he does have a song—about the usual I’m-so-hard topics, but with a weariness towards his supposed violence. Lazy-voiced Bloody Civilian might end up being the long-term find.

Alex Lahey: “You’ll Never Get Your Money Back”

She might never make an album as good as I Love You Like a Brother again—only the greats get there twice—but it seems she’ll be a safe bet for a really good song once or twice a cycle. Avoiding the sunk cost fallacy is as weirdly appropriate a subject for one of them as anything.