Words by Nathan Hallam
'22' serves as the rising Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer Kunmie’s debut album and, in my opinion, it teases exciting prospects for the artist's future work. From start to finish, Kunmie envelops the listener in a deeply personal exploration of freedom and self-ambition, pairing synergistically with Kunmie’s soulful and intimate vocals that underpin the album.
Interlocking drums in each track give the album a real sense of direction, and the listener can hear their presence grow as Kunmie moves through love, pain, fear, and freedom whilst also proudly exhibiting the influence of his Nigerian heritage and culture in his creative expression. The opening track '5AM' sets the album’s journey in motion, intimately guiding the listener into Kunmie’s state of mind as he narrates disruptions in his love life and the weight of those feelings on his soul. Nigerian rapper Phyno makes an appearance on the track, where his more organic style complements the ethereal backing vocals. The slower and emotive atmosphere of the track pulls the listener into Kunmie’s world whilst giving the artist’s sound room to grow as the album develops.
Kunmie interweaves choral backing vocals elegantly in my personal favourite track of the album, 'Gorgeous, which builds upon his signature sound in a way that grips the listener deeper into his exploration of his own imperfections in the face of love. Kunmie’s lyricism is deeply emotive in this track, complementing his tender vocal style as the percussion guides us through the escalating sensations that Kunmie explores. The track also features Nigerian afrobeats artist Lojay, who provides a refreshing sound that pairs wonderfully with the atmosphere that Kunmie has constructed.
This is followed by the track that the album is named after, '22', which is one of the most passionate on the album as it delves into feelings of isolation and longing for more, with Kunmie also describing his faith and the impact it has had on his experience. His lyricism effectively articulates his desire for something more, and the delivery only further enhances the scale of these feelings. The music video for the track reinforces the personal themes explored in '22' as it is set in Kunmie’s bedroom, which gives a real sense of genuineness to the visuals that reinforce the themes explored in the song. Towards the end of the track, Kunmie incorporates building strings and brass elements which really heighten the energy and dramatism of the track, and you can hear his sound grow and develop as the album progresses. This perfectly guides us into the second half of the album as we feel Kunmie’s driftlessness in what I would argue is one of the most climactic songs on the album’s journey.
'Solace II', features singer-songwriter Joeboy who, like the rest of the features on the album, perfectly complements Kunmie’s signature sound. Joeboy opens the track in an ethereal vocal display accompanied by a more stripped-back sound in comparison to the rest of the album, which consists primarily of a tender acoustic guitar melody. This once again brings back that sense of intimacy that has been present in other songs on the album and this fits nicely with the track's themes of love and fear. Kunmie takes a step back from the vocal elements of the track, with Joeboy taking the lead instead; however, his backing vocals that appear midway through help build the emotional tension as the track progresses. Despite Kunmie’s smaller presence, his production skills shine through in this track, as he creates a soulful and raw sound through the minimal production style and lack of percussive elements.
To bring this journey to an end, the final track, 'Calvary', opens energetically with swinging, metallic percussion as Kunmie expresses his desire for “peace of mind” in the face of hardship. The lyrics are some of the most purgative on the album, fitting the title’s biblical allusions to the site of Jesus’s crucifixion, and the more rapid delivery enhances the intensity of these emotions. The track feels like a real climax of the themes explored in the album, and the deep backing vocals and dramatic strings bring a nice sense of closure to the track.
However, the final track feels like it is only the beginning of the story that he aims to tell, and I believe that there is much more on the horizon for Kunmie.
