ODUMODUBLVCK, Lojay, Peruzzi, Joeboy and More on New Music Friday
This week’s New Music Friday arrives like a monsoon of melody, drenching the scene with Afrobeats’ finest pouring their hearts into the mic. The releases are a testament to Afropop’s sonic reign, from Peruzzi’s introspective ‘SABALI’ weaving patience into Afro-soul anthems, to LOJAY’s sultry ‘XOXO’ spinning romance into R&B-laced gold. Singles steal the spotlight too—Joeboy and Shoday’s “Ring” turns matrimonial pressure into a playful bop, while Joshua Baraka and JAE5’s “Dive In” plunges into love’s depths with hypnotic finesse. Meanwhile, ODUMODUBLVCK’s sprawling ‘INDUSTRY MACHINE ‘ roars with unapologetic grit, proving the streets still set the tempo. Dive into this week’s drops, where every track feels like a pulse check on Afrobeats’ unstoppable evolution.
ODUMODUBLVCK – INDUSTRY MACHINE
ODUMODUBLVCK arrives like a piston firing on all cylinders with ‘INDUSTRY MACHINE’, a 23-track behemoth that clocks in as his most audacious swing yet. On first spin, starting from the top: “INDUSTRY MACHINE” into “HALLELUJAH” featuring Tobe Nwigwe, Jeriq and Phyno, the album roars to life with raw propulsion, only to occasionally sputter under its own weight.
The opener “INDUSTRY MACHINE” sets the industrial, unyielding tone—ODUMODUBLVCK’s gravelly flow over booming 808s and Okporoko-infused hooks feels like a manifesto for the hustle, priming the pump for the album’s churn right out the gate. By the time we hit “HALLELUJAH,” it shifts into a divine, almost confessional gear: sparse, echoing production underscoring a street sermon of gratitude amid the chaos. Standouts emerge quick—”Layi Wasabi” featuring Reminisce flexes with viral replay value, its trap bounce and sly wordplay demanding an instant rewind, while “Ejor” pulses with unfiltered bravado, ODUMODUBLVCK trading verses like ammunition in a cypher gone nuclear.
A reunion with Davido on one cut injects Afrobeats shimmer amid the drill haze, and spots with Pa Salieu, Giggs, Cash Cobain, Tobe Nwigwe and even global heavyweights like Skepta and Wizkid add melodic detours that keep the energy from flatlining. Production shines in bursts—expansive, genre-fluid beats that nod to drill, trap, and highlife—but the sheer volume exposes cracks. Midway, dynamism dips; tracks blur into a haze of bombast, with weaker flows “Bombastic Element” borders on self-parody and sequencing that prioritizes shock over cohesion, leaving the back half feeling like filler in a magician’s overstuffed hat.
At 65 minutes, ‘INDUSTRY MACHINE’ dazzles with ODUMODUBLVCK’s raw, revolutionary, and unapologetically Nigerian energy, yet betrays hints of burnout in its sprawl. It’s not flawless, but it does rev the engine for rap’s next lap.
Lojay – XOXO
In the velvet haze of Afrobeats’ romantic underbelly, Lojay unfurls his debut album ‘XOXO’ like a late-night confession slipped under the door—a 14-track exhale of yearning, seduction, and quiet vulnerability that lands after the long wait. Clocking in at a breezy 35 minutes, it’s a far cry from the sprawling epics dominating the scene, blending Afro-R&B silk with global flirtations. Lojay’s ‘XOXO’ envelops a listener like a warm embrace, though its brevity sometimes leaves craving one more stolen glance.
Kicking off with the soulful “Sale”, Lojay dives headfirst into lush, guitar-drenched production that sets a somber, critical tone—his vocals gliding over the percolating and crescedoing harmony of string instruments like a text you reread at 2 a.m. The momentum builds seamlessly into “Tenner”, and the Odeal featured “Mwah”—a spirited ode to magnetic pull that fuses UK garage bounce with Lagos swagger, its hook burrowing in like an earworm you can’t shake. Standouts flicker like fireflies: “Body” ft. Feid is a bilingual simmer that’s equal parts sultry and replayable; “Memories” with Tyla layers amapiano glow over nostalgic ache, their voices intertwining in a haze of what-ifs that demands volume up. Solo cuts like “Shiver” steal breaths too—smoky electro-synth waves carrying Lojay’s raw admiration for fleeting thrills, while “Jericho” pulses with hip-hop introspection, walls tumbling under bass that hits like emotional release.
Features elevate without overshadowing: Victony on “Sawa” adds melodic camaraderie to tales of loyalty tested, and Odeal’s vibe syncs effortlessly on the erotic “Mwah!,” keeping the global-Nigerian thread taut. Production, helmed by P.Priime and Rexxie among others, gleams with polish—ambient swells, highlife echoes, and trap-tinged traps that nod to Lojay’s evolution from “Gangster Romantic‘s” grit to this polished yearning. Yet, in its rush to resolution, “Alright” wraps loose ends with hip-hop resolve, “Suru” confesses hidden pressures over amapiano sway. ‘XOXO’ captivates as Lojay’s most cohesive statement yet. The work of art is messy-hearted, sexy-souled, and unapologetically Afro-fusion, proving the Grammy-nodded crooner is ready for the big leagues.
Peruzzi – SABALI
Peruzzi resurfaces from a self-imposed exile with ‘SABALI’, a 17-track testament to the art of waiting—titled after the Hausa word for “patience,” it’s a fourth studio swing that dropped October 10, 2025, like a long-simmered stew finally served hot. At a reflective 52 minutes, it sidesteps the bombast of his DMW heyday for something more introspective, weaving Afro-soul confessions with highlife flourishes and R&B confessions that echo vulnerability with matured grit. Peruzzi’s fourth studio album is smooth, soul-stirring, occasionally meandering, but always pulling you deeper into its heartfelt lanes.
The title track “SABALI” eases in with a mid-tempo groove of shimmering guitars and Peruzzi’s buttery falsetto, a meditative opener on love’s slow burn that sets a tone of quiet endurance, his pen game sharp as ever in dissecting relational chess. Momentum simmers into “One Thing,” a warm R&B gem that blooms with intimate lyrics over airy percussion—it’s the kind of earworm that lingers like a half-remembered dream, Peruzzi crooning about that singular fixation with disarming sincerity. Standouts ignite sporadically: “Apala Drill” ft. Davido flips traditional apala into a drill-tinged banger, their chemistry crackling with label-family fire and infectious replay hooks; “Cooking Pot” with Jeriq simmers Igbo rap edge into streetwise romance, a pot of flavors that boils over with swagger and substance.
Features form the album’s backbone without stealing the spotlight. Double doses with Davido (the second on “Perfect Situation” ft. Mayorkun and Dremo reunites the squad in harmonious hustle anthems), Zlatan and The Flowolf on the gritty “El Sucio Guapo” inject street menace, while The Cavemen’s highlife horns elevate “Mad Oh” to euphoric highs. Timaya’s elder-statesman vibe on “ANTR (A Night To Remember)” adds nostalgic glow, and Jesse Jagz’s bars on “Nuff Respect” deliver lyrical gravitas amid the melodic tide. Production—courtesy of in-house wizards like fresh and Speroach—gleams with subtlety: layered percussion nods to heritage, synth swells carry emotional weight, blending Afrobeats bounce with Afro-soul introspection for a cohesive yet versatile ride. Yet, the sprawl reveals seams; later cuts like “Time Of My Life” ft. Esoterica flirt with filler territory, their vibes diffuse in the rearview, and the pacing occasionally prioritizes polish over punch, leaving some tracks whispering when they could roar.
‘SABALI’ reaffirms Peruzzi as Afrobeats’ premier romantic architect—a gentle giant of a record, heavy on heart, light on flash.
JOEBOY, SHODAY – Ring
In the playful tug-of-war between Afrobeats’ eternal romance and the cheeky realities of adulting, Joeboy links with street-pop firebrand Shoday on “Ring,” a 3-minute gem that dropped October 10 like a proposal you didn’t see coming. Fresh off the hype of his Viva Lavida era, it’s Joeboy’s first major single since, teasing matrimonial mischief with a wink. From the shimmering intro to its lingering fade, it hooks like a velvet noose: infectious, intimate, and primed for every “when you settling down?” family roast.
Echo The Guru’s production slinks in with warm guitar plucks and percolating percussion, building a breezy Afro-fusion groove that’s equal parts seductive sway and subtle urgency—lush harmonies swelling just enough to cradle the vulnerability without tipping into sap. Joeboy leads with his trademark silky vocals, gliding through verses that unpack the jitters of commitment “Mama dey ask when you go marry” hits like a universal gut-punch, poetic yet painfully relatable, his emotive delivery flipping pressure into poetic yearning. Shoday crashes the party midway, his gritty ad-libs and soulful baritone injecting raw charisma—a seamless duet dynamic where street-rooted energy grounds Joeboy’s polish, their voices blending in flirtatious call-and-response that feels like eavesdropping on a late-night heart-to-heart.
No overproduction here; the stripped-back charm lets the chemistry breathe, with subtle synth shimmers and percussive flair nodding to highlife roots. The hook—”Put a ring on it, baby, make it official”—loops like destiny, humorous yet heartfelt, transforming the “marriage crusade” into a victory lap for love’s next chapter.
“Ring” cements Joeboy as Afrobeats’ rom-com kingpin, with Shoday elevating the collab to viral alchemy: vulnerable, victorious, and unapologetically feel-good. It’s the settle-down bop we didn’t know we needed.
JOSHUA BARAKA, JAE5 – Dive In
Joshua Baraka teams with Grammy-winning producer JAE5 on “Dive In,” a 3:15 immersion into love’s intoxicating depths. From the hazy intro to its euphoric crest, it pulls a listener under like a tide you don’t want to fight: mesmerizing, magnetic, and made for midnight replays.
JAE5’s production unfurls with a sultry swirl of ambient keys and percolating Afrobeat percussion, layering in subtle R&B ripples and highlife-tinged guitars that evoke a laid back evening with shimmering sunset—lush yet lean, with Jonathan Mensah’s engineering ensuring every vocal nuance gleams like polished obsidian. Joshua Baraka’s tenor takes the helm, his smooth, emotive croon slicing through the haze on verses that map the thrill of emotional freefall “Dive in, let the waves take control” lands with poetic precision, blending heartfelt ache and hopeful abandon. No guest verses here, the track Joshua Baraka’s solo swim, his layered harmonies building to a chorus that blooms into anthemic release—soulful ad-libs cascading like echoes in an underwater cathedral, transforming personal confession into universal yearning.
The track’s brevity is its superpower. Subtle percussive flourishes nod to Joshua Baraka’s Ugandan roots while JAE5’s global gloss elevates it to playlist catnip—radio-smooth yet raw enough for the purists. The bridge teases a climactic drop that arrives gently, opting for intimacy over explosion, but in this case, the whisper hits harder than a shout.
“Dive In” sees Baraka and JAE5’s magical touch turn confession into captivation: vulnerable, vibrant, and vividly alive. It’s the slow-burn serenade for souls ready to submerge.
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