Illustrious Nigerian-born musician WurlD has never shied away from experimenting with different contemporary sonics. The “Press” hitmaker’s electro-fusion studio album My WurlD With You is a testament to this fact. Boasting swaggering Afro-fusion, the nineteen-track album explores the life and times of WurlD with a focus on his journeys in love and introspection. Corresponding with its interlude “Blue”, the album’s cover art portrays a cinematographic image of WurlD adorning a sapphire-blue coat, which his azure hair fashionably complements. The masterpiece dabbles into various distinct sounds under the umbrella of Afrobeats, fusing them with contemporary music genres such as jazz and funk.
Comprising airy synths and hypnotic drum patterns, record-opener “These Days Love Don’t Change” majestically sets an Afro-Pop ambience. Featuring Nigerian songstress Dami Oniru, the tune boasts WurlD’s crystalline falsetto. The harmonies by WurlD and Dami Oniru in the song’s bridge unearth a formidable duet. Expressing self-actualisation propelled by deep introspection, the vocalist croons the lyrics: “I just wanna be successful these days with all the homies.”
The album’s second track, “Gucci”, explores the value of intrinsic self-worth over materialism. Ironically, the song is named after one of the world’s most expensive high-end fashion houses, creating a contrast between the song title and its message. However, after critically evaluating the lyrics, one can deduce the word “Gucci” alludes to something completely different in the song. According to the Urban Dictionary, “Gucci” means good, which is likely the meaning of the word within the context of the laid-back joint, considering its lyrics. WurlD sings: “Take my money, take my cars, take my jewels, but you can’t take my soul”, encapsulating the song’s message regarding finding a deeper meaning to life outside of materialism.
Being the maestro of compiling genre-bending works of art, WurlD switches up the album’s tempo in “Let You Down.” The pulsating dance track comprises percussive drums and is a mesmeric blend of distinct Afro-fusion sounds. Keeping the upbeat tempo going, “Sad Tonight” ushers us in with a groovy ambience. The club banger sees WurlD expressing undying love for his love interest while begging for her forgiveness. Corresponding with the song’s title, the vocalist sings, “Don’t wanna go to bed sad tonight”, along with a jazzy rhythmic beat. He further sings: “I don’t know what I’ve done, but, baby, I’m sorry” to appease his lover.
Unifying the African diaspora through his electro-fusion album, WurlD features the internationally acclaimed Azanian performers Major League DJz and LuuDadeejay on “Stamina.” The vibrant track features an amapiano baseline and expectedly boasts the genre’s popular signature instruments – log drums. Proud of his West African culture, WurlD sings in Nigerian Pidgin throughout most of the fiery dance track. The genre-bender croons: “Oh African girl, you dey give me the vibes tonight”, along with a shimmery amapiano beat.
The album’s outro, “No Easy Love”, delicately concludes the riveting body of work. The song, which revolves around matters of the heart, sees WurlD expressing vulnerability and embracing the challenges of romantic partnerships. The vocalist sings: “Show all my flaws to my baby”, alluding to being vulnerable.
WurlD’s supreme music composition skills are the star of this electric combination of genres. The virtuoso gives us a pre-eminent balance between groovy club bangers and mellow ballads. My WurlD With You also illustrates WurlD’s artistic ability to fuse different contemporary genres to create an electric burst of unique-sounding music.
