On 'Sunday in Lagos' Limoblaze is a generous chef who caters to every church-goer sonic palate
Samuel 'Limoblaze' Onwubiko is a major forerunner in the new generation championing Afro-gospel movement.
These demography make edifying music, but on less restrictive terms with production, coinage and branding.
With an extensive catalogue dating as far back as (2016), Blind Before Now, (2018), Afrobeats Rap and Jesus(2019), Bridges (2020), The wait EP(2020, God’s Favourite Baby, (2021), Sunday in Lagos (2022) and Two (2023)
This EP was released on the same day he made the announcement of his signing to American independent record label, Reach Records.
THE STARTER
'Pull up' is the account of David Vs Goliath according to Limoblaze.
Limoblaze (David) on a battle rap type of instrumental asserts his sonship and supernatural placement.
'Desire' featuring Emandiong is the lead single of the project. Desire is divine ordination.
The up-tempo and crowd vocals infused track reiterates that it's not about their desire but their desire to follow all that God desires for them.
'Hosanna' is a thanksgiving song. The type that ascribes to the saving grace regardless of the recurrent straying away.
On a 'traditional' Banky-W beat, he adds extra flavour about being submissive to God's will.
On 'I Believe' with a Caribbean input, Reach Records Label mates,1k Phew and Limoblaze trade verses on the steadfastness of their convictions.
'Gold' with frequent collaborator Ada Ehi have one goal on this song and it is to proclaim the fact that their salvation is more important than the luxury materialism proffers.
And so when they sing "I have something more than gold" it connotes the fact that their heavenly race is of more significance than earthly pleasures/indulgence.
The second international collaboration on this project is with Dena Mwana of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
'Company' essentially, is about a father who is attentive to the groaning of his children.
This song fosters what the book of Jeremiah 33:3 says; "Call unto me and I will show you great and mighty things that you know not."
To end the Sunday service, Limoblaze flipped 'Jireh'(My Provider); One of the biggest songs of the American collective Maverick City with the help of American Rapper Lecrae and producer Happi.
And while the general theme is consistent; The provisional capacity of God Jireh, the direction is different, and this track has an Afrobeats savor.
FINAL LAP
Production has never been and most likely won't be Limoblaze problem.
Citing the two instances of 'Pull up' and 'Hosanna'. Limoblaze rightly picks the appropriate beats for a specific subject matter and also knows the fitting collaboration.
Where God had trained David's hands to war, Limoblaze has trained his ears to make the right selection.
Sunday in Lagos are selections of songs that denote the expansive mood of churchgoers in their father's house. The greatest gift of Salvation, thanksgiving, attentiveness of God, God's provisional character, accentuated convictions etc.
The art direction for the cover of this project, as brilliant as it is, is more imaginative and graphically convincing than the songwriting on this EP.
For every time the production shouldered some of the songs, it was a struggle to 'gauge' the thematic direction, or do that early enough.
A worthy case study is how the book of Psalms was structured to warrant relatability in emotivities. You could picture your entire mood in any of the 150 chapters. But you could do this because of how intriguingly written the words were.
The conversation remians the same in songs of Solomon, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
You can listen to Limoblaze “Sunday in Lagos”
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