Nigerian record producer and musician Sarz has announced the release of a joint album project with London-based afrobeats artist, Obongjayar titled Sweetness EP on 22 July.
The four-track EP produced by Sarz is delivered with a music video for the track ‘Gone Girl’ directed by French duo Julia et Vincent. Other tracks in the body of work are ‘Nobody’, ‘If you Say’ and title track ‘Sweetness’. It is the result of maverick artistry. Sweetness is Obongjayar’s maiden collaboration with Sarz. It creates a truly unique body of work that transcends borders, resulting in a genre-bending album. The EP reveals Sarz’s breezy production and Obongjayar’s sultry vocals complement the beats – both structurally and melodically.
Obongjayar helped elevate the production of Sweetness with his seductive lyricism that shows the various stages of falling in love and establishing a relationship. He previously released two EPs and collaborated with acts such as Giggs, Kamasi Washington and Danny Brown. Obongjayar said “Sweetness looks at the early stages of a relationship, with the ego stripped away – the vulnerability, doubt and anxiety of trying to figure out where you stand, as well as the sweetness and excitement”. He continues, “Those emotions normally feel like such grey areas. It was interesting to explore them so directly and write like it was a film scenario – with a clear beginning, middle and end.”
For Sarz, this is a quick follow-up to his collaborative EP with Lojay last April. ‘Tonongo’ now enjoys constant airplay and commercial acclaim, further solidifying the reputation of the producer as a genuine talent. Sarz has collaborated with Afrobeats greats including Tu Baba, Burna Boy, Reminisce, Olamide, Femi Kuti, Eldee, Banky W, Dagrin and many more. His innovative production and composition work for the likes of Wizkid, Drake, Skepta and Beyonce remain outstanding.
Nigerian-based SARZ is a key player in cross-cultural projects. On Sweetness, he said “I have never created a project like this before. I would describe the EP as genre bending – it fuses synthwave, 1980’s music, afrobeats and pop. Different elements were brought together to create Sweetness”.
Let’s indulge.