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It takes an artist with a convincing talent to deploy the penmanship, melodic molding mastery, and stylism needed to blend R&B and Afrobeats without the former losing its defining elements.
It's this brilliant fusion that sensational multi-talented artist Kaestyle and Grammy-winning producer LeriQ achieves on the exciting EP 'Asylum'.
While the deployment of R&B in Afrobeats mainstream pales in comparison to Pop, its exploration is a constant reminder of the creative range of Nigerian music.
On 'Asylum', Kaestyle molds melodies that draw in listeners and allow them to appreciate the pictures he paints with his lyrics.
"I know not everyone will enjoy this one," Kaestyle said ahead of the EP release, and while the statement might appear like a needless explanation of the music, it offers insight into the intentionality that drives the project and the self-awareness of an artist making music from the heart.
Like most artists, Kaestyle wishes to achieve success and the accompanying pecuniary benefits from making music, but he insists on making music that doesn't water down his brilliance. This mindset is captured in "The Bag" where he melodically levitates while expressing his intention to get the bag.
R&B strives for coherent writing and stimulating melodies while the production brings the mid-tempo arrangement that makes it a taste of music. Kaestyle provokes desire with his words on '21' where he tells the story of a young "baddie" through a deliciously laid melody. The supercharged sensual melodies 'eMotions' and the stimulating vocals on '21' are aided by LeriQ's brilliant deployment that combines dreamy strings and cloudy baselines to create a picturesque ambiance of blue lights and bodies melting in the urgency of their needs.
Kaestyle's ability to deliver a stunning R&B record is a testament to his rich understanding of music. In 'eMotions', he flows like Usher and in ‘21’ he interpolates a famous Drake line from 'Rich Flex'. This rich musical influence allows him to easily shapeshift when he explores Jersey sound in 'YOLO' and in 'Ugly Truth' where he interpolates Dancehall melodies from Chaka Demus & Pliers’ 'Bam Bam'.
What makes 'Asylum' a stunning project is the brilliant synergy achieved by Kaestyle and LeriQ, who together, offered brilliant parts of themselves to create a project that showcases the wide usage capacity of Nigerian mainstream sonics.
If at all one is to demand more from Kaestyle and LeriQ, it would be for the EP to be stretched by two or three tracks for a longer experience.
'Asylum' EP is coming at a time when Afrobeats is experiencing a bull market and its refreshing qualities won't be lost on listeners.