Category: EP – 7 tracks, runtime – 20 min
Genre: Afrobeats
Release Date: 26.July.2024
Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ – 10/10
Tungi’s got something special here! Normally, we’d sandwich such a grand declaration between neutral sentiments and observations of shortcomings. You know, to show that our evaluation is balanced and all. But unlike in those instances, it wouldn’t be objective to temper the praise in this case. For one, this is the most thematically cohesive project we’ve chanced upon this year. Be it lyrically, sonically, or above all else; conceptually.
Energy. As both a word and an impulse, it’s in no shortage on all 7 tracks. The opening number “Jjaja” sets off with a forcefully pounding beat joined to a riffy psychedelic foretaste of what’s to come. One thing that will be sure to catch you off-guard, even after we hint on it, is how the background sound layer bursts into pure euphoric delight as Tungi lodges into the main refrain “so every time I, enter a place” for the second time. For the tune’s full length, he vibes on about universally memorable concepts like familial inspiration and faith to navigate the present.
“Free My Mind” takes it from there. More chill and mellow, Tungi utilizes the piece more like a cool-off bridge than a chance to eagerly prove a point. Expertly couched against this relaxed setting, even his lyrical exhortations to “never hustle for support” or “put in effort” somehow end up not coming off as preachily prescriptive. It’s probably because you can still sense that it’s more of a description of his journey.
On the third track “Knees & Toes”, he brings along Soundlykbb, whose pleasantly sluggish melodies elevate the piece to gratifying effect. Supported by a dragged beat, they both laze through sensual depictions of beauty and desire. This is the closest Tungi comes to diverting from the EP’s overall theme of optimism and a personal success arc. Yet even then, lines like “kka mmulumbe teri kya kola” still center his journey by alluding to an aspirational angle to the lyrics.
Fortunately for the next piece “G Energy (Remix)” ft Senté, the theme is back to being pleasantly unsubtle. In a frisky flow, Tungi sing-talks of blocking out noise and focussing on his personal grind. Then he launches into that chorus, first with raw delivery, then with an earthy vocal plurality enhanced by masterful production and vibey shakers. Speaking of complimenting, Senté eats up his spot, initially straight up singing out his verse about being prayed up on his aspirations, and then rounding it with bouncy braggy bars about the scene he & subgenre-mates are ushering in. Impossible to ignore, the track’s last 25 seconds have some pretty cool vocal magic going on. And you can tell they knew they had aced it hard ’cause at the end, one of them exclaims, “Good one!”
Tungi gets back solo on “Common Sense”. Opening with a xylophonesque ringy sound, the song is more meta than its companions. The self-references allude to his songwriting process & his resistance to deviating from the core of who he is. Some trippy sound elements add a layer to the track’s deceptively simple feel, amidst lines about not feeding negative energy and staying optimistic.
The followup, “Distraction”, carries on in the same vein lyrically, only more relaxed and melody-infused. There’s a moodiness about it, despite the delightful musicality of it all. It’s there in the laidback crooning, in the sentiment to tread one’s own path alone, and in how spacy the sound is.
“Unfortunately”, the closer, delivers on the earlier psychedelic foretaste. It’s floaty, hypnotic and sentimental. Then again, these aren’t elements that materialize out of the blue. By the end, you sense they’ve been thematically bubbling beneath the surface and are just more audible at the end.
“Life of Sound” isn’t perfect, but Tungi’s self-awareness helps him harness many would-be flaws to opposite effect: He guards against empty platitudes by opening up to use his life as a template, making the ever-present motivational tone less tiring than it would be. More impressively, he balances his bright lyrical optimism with maturity of sound. When someone comes off this thoughtful about a project, you hope it’s not an artistic accident, and you watch for their next move to make up your mind. You bet we’re watching Tungi with a g!
