The major spat an eclectic listener like myself might have with gospel music maestros is their inability to elevate the music beyond the sacredness of their lyricism. Often, one strips the music of its piety and finds it bare-faced with a sonic identity crisis and a lacklustre appeal to the average joe. This is why listening to Emmakeyzz’ latest original composition, Joyful Anthems, feels different — both as an indigenous fusion and a Christian worship compilation piece.
Starting off on a euphoric tone, Joyful Anthems unfurls the album’s airy programming with the track “Hero”. A gentle mid-tempo song of gratitude, woven in Igbo and English language, “Hero” begins to create a portrait of Emmakeyzz’ distinct artistry, as he melds smooth guitar riffs with gliding percussion.
The melodies are very nuanced to resemble typical 2000s Afro-RnB bops and the choral backups pastel the hues of Christian music artistry vibrantly over the track. By the album’s third track, “Praise Party”, Emmakeyzz, a respected music minister and performing artist in Nigeria, flips the album’s momentum into a dramatic dance floor-ready tune. Thanks to Adunola Gabriel’s electronic synths and rapid percussion, Emmakeyyz creates a befitting African electronic dance bop with “Praise Party”, completely suspending any critical awareness, save for lyricism, between the sonic differences between secular and Christian gospel club jams.
On “Bulieya”, Emmakeyzz, born Jaiyeola Emmanuel, takes a similar fusion-focused approach, while sharpening the local appeal of this album. It becomes a masterpiece to the ordinary African person who loves to praise God in different languages.
Emmakeyyz’ songwriting struggles to shine throughout the album, despite being the cornerstone that defines its foundation.
Instead, it rubs shoulders with the bohemian pop/dancehall-leaning instrumentation that colours the project.
On songs like “Tinini Tanana”, it becomes clear that his penchant for RnB highlife soars the maestro to a heaven of melodies which he cherry-picks the easiest to remember. Hooks woven simply with dual syllable cadences and verses as plain as vanilla ice cream might seem to rob the album of the thrill of complexity. Yet, for its sheer simplicity and ready-to-absorb type of appeal, Joyful Anthems shines as a sonic conduit of optimism, gratitude and celebration.
