Rwandan music producer Flyest Music recently released his debut album 'Flyest Magic.' Most of the artistEs he frequently works with include Kevin Skaa, Angell Mutoni, Rita Ange Kagaju, Andy Bumuntu, and Ella Rings, an emerging artist on the rise. Flyest Magic is an 11-track multi genre album featuring the likes of Mike Kayihura, Kevin Skaa, Rita Ange Kagaju, Igor Mabano, Ella Rings, Makare Fox, J-Sha, Andy Bumuntu and Angell Mutoni. The upbeat feel of the album as the different songs explore themes of love, romance, despair and navigating an unpredictable life. Here’s a review of Flyest Magic The first track on the album is Take Time featuring Mike Kayihura. The song is a great introduction to the album, which is made undeniable with the classic acoustic RNB tone that Mike Kayihura brings to the table. The acoustic feel of the music production correlates evenly with Mike Kayihura’s vocals in what seems like an homage to music RNB music from the early 2000’s. The lyrics shed light into what seems to be a jilted lover’s thoughts and feelings, reminiscing on the last time they spent time with a loved one and how good it felt in comparison to how hollow their absence is, and a fair number of what ifs and maybes. Lines like “I know you never gon’ be by my side, but still I’m keepin’ you on my mind” build onto the song’s character, making it relatable to those that have loved and lost and still hope for a rekindling, even one that doesn’t last. The second and arguably the most vibrant song on the album is 'Nzagukunda' featuring Rita Ange Kagaju. According to stats from music streaming sites, the song is already one of the most listened to on the album, and with good reason. The song starts off with upbeat pop themed drums that would fit evenly in fast paced Latin dance. The ballad styled rhythm and Kagaju’s seamless vocals makes the song ideal for an impromptu date night dance, and the flirty feel of the song in general especially the lyrics, accentuates undeniable qualities of a blossoming love, which makes Nzagukunda the perfect addition to a feel-good pop playlist. Flyest Magic’s third track is Don’t Let Go featuring Angell Mutoni. The song’s lyrics are descriptive of a blossoming love relationship that gets a little clingy and close. With her vocals, Mutoni inadvertently conveys an urge to stay in close proximity with a loved one and the ballad styled sound production pairs well to make one for the books, if the book is a romance novel that is. The fourth track on the album is One Call Away featuring Ella Rings. The songs provides a semblance of continuity from its predecessors in the sense that they are vibrant ballads brought to life by talented female vocalists. One Call Away is slightly more intense than flirty. The lyrics allude to a blossoming love at its peak and the bond between two lovers that don’t want to stay away from one another for a moment. The music production has hints of Afrobeats that really bring out the song’s essence, also earning it a spot on a ballads or feel good playlist. Akarara featuring Igor Mabano is the fifth track on Flyest Magic. Introducing a new vibe to the music, Akarara has the makings of something that would play in the background of an ongoing love story, maybe even a soundtrack. The music production distinguishes the song as a slow jam and the lyrics, conveying the aftermath of couple that has found their better half in one another pairs well together with Igor Mabano’s vocals which adds to the appeal of the song. Job featuring Makare Fox, an upcoming artist, breaks the mold of RNB and Afrobeats with a hiphop tune. The themes within the verses highlight young adult struggles such as not knowing who to trust and being wary of everyone around you, wanting to make an impression within one’s peers and superiors to stand out and make an impact. The music production pays homage to the UK hiphop drill, and its variation in the album makes it stand out. Cope also featuring Ella Rings was first released in February 2023, prior to working the album. Cope is an upbeat pop themed love song whose storytelling also revolves around a blossoming love, in a way that says “you and me against the world” passively. The upbeat music pairs well with the jolly feminine vocals by Ella Rings. The lyrics are reminiscent of a connection like Bonnie and Clyde’s, which alludes to a very exclusive committed relationship. Cope is in conclusion, the kind of song one would smile about when they’re in love. Killer featuring Kevin Skaa is the eighth addition to the Flyest Magic album, and its very beginning before the vocals set in sounds similar to what one might expect with a hiphop beat, and once Kevin Skaa’ s RNB voice takes over, the overall song sounds somewhat like a fusion between both genres, with the sound being hippop themed and the lyrical delivery having more of a gentle rhythm. The lyrics themselves are descriptive of an enigmatic sexual encounter that portrays the “lady in the streets, freak in the sheets” stereotype, making it an ultra-explicit song should one listen in closely. Karma featuring Andy Bumuntu is the ninth song on the album, and it is not what one would expect when listening to an Andy Bumuntu song. Karma is the only song on the album that would fall into the reggae genre with the undeniable Jamaican roots in its sound production, especially the drums. The song is one of the few tracks that break the pop/ RNB pattern however it does not stray away from the theme of love. Through its lyrics, Karma explores the opposite sides of an unrequited love, and the Karma/ bad luck that awaits the character who knowingly broke another’s heart. Andy Bumuntu’s vocals transitions evenly into the Reggae themed song, and while it isn’t my cup of tea, softcore Reggae fans are likely to find such a song enjoyable. No worries featuring Ella Rings breaks the love struck pattern of the album, in the sense that rather than convey a romantic relationship shared by a pair of two, it tells the story of life’s various struggles and how everything has the tendency to work out in the end, mostly prompted by the power of God. The overall sound production would distinguish the song as one of praise, and the subtle hints of Afrobeats sets the song’s variation, making it ideal to be played in uplifting times. Words like “Relax relax, no need to worry/ even if it seems blurry/ walk by faith not by sight” pair so well against the strum of the drums and that makes it the kind of music that would put one at ease. Buhoro featuring J-Sha brings the romance back to the table before the ending of the album, and the music group is one of the few upcoming artists Flyest Music collaborated with on the album. The song’s music production has the makings of a Kizomba themed choreography, and similar to the first song on this album, the main theme besides love is time. Buhoro’s gentle lyrics tell the story of a couple that would rather make the most of the time they have together than do things in a rushed manner. Buhoro is a way to conclude the album and the feel good nature embedded into the song gives it a lasting effect.
