BY EMMANUEL DARALOYE
Bella Shmurda has struggled to replicate his 2020 to 2022 success; he has released songs, yet they neither fly nor crash. Not even the last album could salvage the situation. After the release of 2 versions of ‘High Tension,’ and ‘Hypertension’ LP, he seems to have found a new respite in a course, which he called ‘Sanity‘. An end to a tribulation, you say, a bright colour after fronting the dark ones.
Bella’s sound has always been marinated in Fuji; he is a sweet dash between Pasuma Wonder and K1, while it obvious that he is not philosophical or deep like Osupa Saheed, nor can he dance like Malaika or Remi Aluko, yet Bella operate from his strength, when he deviate from it like he did on this album, it rarely pans out well.
When he sings about pain, it serves as a regurgitation of what he is known for; his debut project was filled with themes like this. On this album, he shows maturity; the pain is on another level. This time around, grief joins the ranks, the loss of his friend Mohbad comes up often, alongside life complexities.
The joyous states are far in between; they are fleeting like political promises. ‘Apparisal’ opens with Bella reeling out his street credentials, name-dropping prominent people, yet singing about his trial. Wizard Chan skillfully complements the song with his gyrating backup vocals. The saxophone comes up at the end, it brightening up the short tune. This saxophone’s beautiful run continues on the sombre “Verily,” with strings inter spacing the production, the singer recollects a coitus with an inconsistent girl, why he yearns for me, the girl has already moved on.
When Bella makes the snide remark of being handsome, it is a truism; he keeps repeating it on some songs on this album, a vain remark, you will say, he has to wait on the last verse on ‘Turn Me On,’ to throw it at people’s faces. The guitar & bounce-powered track celebrates life with Bella listing out what comes with this type of life: women, pills, herbs, and stubbornness. The bouncy tune syncs as Bella comes alive more in the second verse. A vain sliding tackle to the enemy. The title track features new sensation Kunmie, but the chaotic production makes the message less penetrating. Even when he sings about happiness on “Holy Jah,” he understands the place of God and herbs.
’Mandalene,’ and ‘Bounce,’ treat a similar topic—coitus, King Promise and Seyi Vibez proudly wear their dominant side as they divulge their aura around ladies. Both productions are chaotic. K1 De Ultimate and uncredited Rasheed Apala come up on ‘Fuji Fusion’ and ‘Apala Fusion,’ he performs brilliantly on the former, a familiar terrain. Joshua Baraka appeared on the dated “Pretty Girl,” which shared similarities with Timaya’s “Sanko.”
On the last four songs, Bella Shmurda returns to his trademark Mark Afro Adura. “Run From God,” which features T.I Blaze, is a nostalgic tribute to “Vision 2020.” The pain inspired ‘My G,’ serves as Inspiration for the young hustlers. It’s inspired by the 2000s Galala sound. ‘Pain,’ sounds like a tribute to a departed soul. “Family,” which ends the album, finds the singer paying tribute to his loved one on a Reggae & Dancehall fusion track. A sublime homage to consanguinity.
’Sanity’ opens a new chapter in Bella Shmurda’s discography. He doesn’t strain from familiar terrain. He shines bright on solo tracks. At sixteen tracks long, Bella takes a gamble which a lot of his colleagues are scared to take; he seems to be so sure of his skill and mastery as a singer.
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