Our song of the week!
When we spoke to producer and songwriter Tobi Peter back in October, he was very emphatic about his desire to diversify his sound, even though EDM was his major focus. A couple of months later, and it seems he has begun to accomplish the things he set out to do not too long ago with the release of an Afrobeats project. On paper, the relationship between his new EP Energy, and his debut project Summer Wavs Vol. 1 can be likened to water and oil - After all, one is based on electronic dance music, while the other sticks to the more traditional path of Afrobeats. However, a deeper listen reveals that there are a couple of threads running through both tapes, the most obvious one being that they were both produced by one man.
Another common ground is Tobi Peter’s desire to experiment and explore within the boundaries of whatever genre he is working with, an insight into the remarkable mind of the man. The projects also feature upcoming artists who blend well with the various tracks, a testament to his ear for chemistry. On Energy, a five-track tape, the artists explore various themes: love, adventure, and partying amongst others. Although each song is well-crafted and produced, our pick of the bunch is track 2: “I See The Riddim” featuring alternative artist Joïe. Pronounced “Acid Riddim”, the song was originally meant to be released as one half of a two-part single alongside the EP’s opener “Base Riddim.” However, post-production delays came into the picture, giving Tobi more time to work on the other songs that make up the EP.
On “I See The Riddim”, the lyrics paint a series of images in the listener’s head depicting a coming-of-age story. “Take my future by the neck, I have a mountain before me to climb” are the first lines of the song as the protagonist of this tale looks forward to her goals and the challenges that lie ahead. This realisation seems like one that is slowly dawning on her - a fact that is accentuated by the sharp but mellow strums of the guitar introducing us to our heroine. As the drums kick in, so does resolve: the past is the past, an incidence that has already occurred. The future, however, is still available for the taking and can be influenced by her actions: “Leave my mistakes in the past, there’s no point dwelling on what I can’t change…”
Strung together beautifully by Joïe, the words of the hook summarize all emotions felt, and doubles as a statement of intention - to survive, to thrive, to live despite the various tests and trials that lie in wait:
“No wonder why I feel so low
But I’m loving what I’ve become
And no wonder why I’m so alone
The reasons to live are more than enough”
As we work our way through a very turbulent period of human history, the message of “I See The Riddim“ is one that resonates with a large section of listeners. In between us and our dreams exists inflation, hundreds of Covid-19 variants, economic recession and a human rights crisis across the globe. Despite this, we push - taking solace in friends, family, Tiktok, and a plethora of personal inspirations. With death seeming ever close, the reasons to live are more than enough.
Stream “I See The Riddim” and the entire Energy EP below:
