Sauti Sol’s 4th album, ‘Afrikan Sauce’ promises to be a more collaborative effort with African artists from around the continent. Judging by the singles, Melanin and their latest release, Girl Next Door featuring Tiwa Savage, Afrikan Sauce is going to be a chart topper.
The song has a chill reggae and R&B vibe. It manages to maintain a tempo that you can dance to while being relaxed enough to jam to on a lazy afternoon. It’s a direction that I’ve noticed with most Afro beat songs that were released last year and with Melanin as well. Big name Afro beat artists seem to now favor a sound similar to chill mood music unlike the high energy releases of 2015 and some parts of 2016.
You can feel Maleek Berry’s (he produced it) influence on the beat, feeling similar to some of the tracks off his latest project, First Daze of Winter. Again, its reflective of the artistic direction of Afrobeats which I’ve mentioned in the previous paragraph.
It’s interesting to observe Sauti Sol’s growth curve through the years. They have become more experimental with their sound, broadening to it to have more crossover appeal and widen their audience.
The visuals in the song are great. Tiwa Savage is gorgeous and Sauti Sol look like a snack. The video tells the story of two lovers who are pining for each other but haven’t had a chance to express themselves. The scenes switch from Tiwa to Sauti Sol and she eventually ends up with Bien who is her love interest in the track. My favorite part of this song is how Tiwa Savage says, “I know you want a taste of my flavor sana.”
My verdict? The song is great and it has all the makings of a hit but it’s forgettable. Once it ends, you won’t give it a second thought.