CRUIZE REVIEW: "olympean"

If I was to describe mwami in one statement I'd say he's Uganda's version of Tyler, the Creator. I know,......................I know whats going through your mind but hear me out. Listening to olympean reminded me of how it felt listening to Tyler for the first time, a feeling of relatability with the most creative and rebel side of your soul. Thats what I'd describe olympean as, its a rule breaker that one capital letter in a sentence of small italicized ones. Its alternative, its dance, its fresh. Its another project the Ugandan airwaves are missing. For most people of our generation grew up listening to the "blog" era of hip hop with the likes of Drake's, "Take Care" and Kanye West's, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" this comes as a relief for many ears.

The album starts with the traditional Western feel of, "kinanda/tizita", which is basically a local Ugandan folk sound mixed with a bit of bongo flavor sounds introducing you into his world. Assisted by Ill Gee, Akeine & Cxnrvd this is quite the introduction to the album.

After such an energetic start mwami takes our feet to the dancefloor with the U.K underground rave funk sound, almost reminds me of Charlie XCX's, "BRAT" era. A very electric sound meant for a movie soundtrack after having a long Kampala night. Its sounds like one for my Bandali people. Brought to life by the energetic perfomances of long time collaborator Tai Dai & rap pioneer Lagum the Rapper, boy scout, is quite the gem.

"daisy" is more of the drink and chat session of this very pacy album. Almost like an interlude, Kohen Jaycee comes in crooning, "nyabo oli kimuli kyange", basically a Luganda term meaning, "girl your my flower".

Maintaining the slow pace from, "daisy", mwami slowly takes us back to the dance floor with, "the wine garage", assisted by the ever electrifying, MAUIMOON, its one of those songs that get you talking to that girl you spotted at the club with your dark shades on...get it!

This next track is my personal favourite, "danser", the first track mwami does solo and boy is it a bop, it feels like an average night in Brooklyn at a KAYTRANADA concert. It effortlessly lifts your spirit and will have you singing a long in no time. It such a perfect fit for the our Ugandan dance market.

"moonblush", is such a perfectly produced track blending sounds from dance, afro pop, and mainstream pop. It also has one of the best vocal performances on the project with Hurricane Dan Fischer & Ridym going back to back on this groovy tune that really gets out up from your seat not to dance but just to bop your head.

By this point, mwami has already proven his point to me because everything feels very intentional, however, "waterbody", is mwami making a statement basically. It feels like he's telling you to sit down, I'm not done talking and damn. His bars on this really entice you to reminisce past memories, such a nostalgic record.

mwami links up with kalibwani for this next track, "skyline sinclaire", and this sticks with the almost midtempo dance tracks on this half of the record. It feels like a song meant for a Euphoria soundtrack.

Now see the thing with mwami is never rule him out, remember what I said about Tyler, the Creator? We see that swing into full effect here on, "gunk". mwami raps over a very dark, "Goblin", era beat and he flexes saying, "I am the sauce, I am the juice...........don't let the humbleness confuse you" , basically affirming all he has been proving since the album started. It then slides into an interlude assisted by Isaiah Lewis & Josh Forehead.

"olivine", mwami's close to this "soundtrack" as I call it, is almost a victory lap for him and as usual its another electrifying vocal perfomance and damn the production on this record it feels like there's more coming but unfortunately its closes with this track.

To sum this up, olympean is mwami's announcement to the East African music scene that he's big and is here to stay, the production on this project is ethereal he really went for gold on this lap and earned it in full. The features and track arrangement was properly done and was very intentional here. Nothing was a mistake, he earned every flower for this project. Can't wait to hear what he cooks up next. It earned a rating of;

8.5

mwami, the visionary

mwami, the olympean.