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'Olori' (The EP) is a poor debut that fails to offer the excitement needed to inspire faith in Logos Olori's ability to impact the mainstream.
After getting signed as one of the artists on Davido's revamped DMW 2.0, Logos Olori announced himself 'Jaiye Lo' which was a timid attempt lost in the whirlwind of the controversy that followed its music video.
With such a shaky start after showing some promise as a guest artist on Davido's 'Picasso' and a writing credit on the hit single 'Unavailable', the onus was on Logos to prove his mettle and win the hearts of listeners.
His debut EP was meant to serve this purpose as his co-label mate Morravey brilliantly did with hers. However, Logos falters as he fails to raise his level and offer the type of music that can impact the mainstream.
'Olori' EP is coming at a time when the soundscape is being shaped by brilliant hip hop domestication and exciting variants of Street music which is sharing the scene with Afropop's global push. Instead of leaning to a particular Afrobeats sub-genre or striking a fine balance of subgenres, 'Olori' EP delivers a collection of songs made by an artist who appears to be stuck in the creative headspace of the underground scene, and while a stellar cast of producers was recruited to lift the project, Logos failed to raise his level.
The EP kicks-off on a timid note with the eponymously titled opener that doesn't offer any identity or personality. Instead of attempting to deliver a statement of purpose and craft a direction for the following 6 records, Logos instead elected to launch head-on into a directionless chatter of self-adulation and romantic desires.
While the Jazz horns and chords on the Big Ragee-produced song pack the desired pacing for an opener, Logos instead chooses to engage in a spirited vocal display about nothing.
Signed by one of the biggest artists on the continent, Logos can always count on the assistance of his label boss. However, on the Magicstick & Ragee produced Konto bounce 'Easy On Me', Davido did his signee no favours. The Grammy nominee tethered himself to a song whose rudimentary lyrics are exposed by bland melodies and painfully boring delivery. It also doesn't help Logos's mainstream ambitions that other decent tracks on the EP would be sacrificed in favour of a Davido feature as the choice for the lead single.
When he switched to an upbeat log drum-propelled beat on 'Push It', the single carries the rudimentary touch both in lyricism and delivery of an artist stuck in the underground as the single fails to pack the cutting edge or retentive elements of an artist nursing mainstream ambitions.
The strikingly simplistic and almost amateurish chorus of the heartfelt tune 'My Darling' terribly exposes Logos's inability to craft stunning melodies and deploy lyrics in a way that levels up to the standards of Afropop stars whose music has impacted the scene. While the infectious Highlife chords were begging for a stronger chorus, Logos's rendition is painfully dated and mediocre.
'Apapa' offers listeners something to hold on to as the Afrobeat horns and Amapiano snares shine while Logos also raises his level to deploy the required level of lamba and captivating delivery.
'Hmm Hmm,' featuring Musa Keys is a less commanding version of Davido's smash hit 'Unavailable' with Logos's delivery uneventful and his lines forgettable. While Musa Keys's decent efforts and the speaker rattling Amapiano kick offer something, it's not enough to save the song from being another random attempt at relying on Amapiano's commanding beat to score a hit.
On Davido's 'Picasso', Logos strikingly sounded like Wizkid and he again shows the influence of the megastar on his music on the Swing record 'Murder' which rounds off a rather disappointing 17 minutes of playtime as he again engages in tough talking in a manner that doesn't inspire listeners to care for whatever he had to say.
Overall, 'Olori' EP is a rather poor attempt by Logos as the music doesn't convey the artistic growth that manifests in the ability to make the type of music that moves listeners.
Debuts EPs are used to make a statement of intent and on his debut, Logos Olori made no statement at all. The EP is forgettable with his music lacking in growth, direction, and identity as he appears to be stuck in the headspace of an underground artist.
The plan to rely on a Davido feature whether it was his choice or not, is a move that would further dampen the already dire state of his debut EP. There's just so much that a Davido feature can do for him, especially when the song is an alarmingly average one.
The disappointing nature of this EP is also an indictment on those meant to guide its creative process. The bulk of the fault however falls on the feet of Logos who failed to raise his level and prove his mettle. Should Logos wish to fix this, he will need to break free from his rudimentary approach to music.
Ratings: /10
• 0-1.9: Flop
• 2.0-3.9: Near fall
• 4.0-5.9: Average
• 6.0-7.9: Victory
• 8.0-10: Champion
Pulse Rating: /10
Album Sequencing: 1.5/2
Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 0.5/2
Production: 1.5/2
Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 0.8/2
Execution: 0.5/2
TOTAL - 4.8 - Average