Appearing less than a year after his debut,
Work of Art
is the sophomore LP from Nigerian Afrobeats star
Asake
. Relaxed and confident,
returns to the mixture of Amapiano, Fuji, and buoyant street-pop that made 2022's
Mr. Money with the Vibe
such a breakout success. That he was able to return so quickly with a second 14-song effort is one thing, but
is another musically robust production that relies on a wide cast of contributors including choirs, horns, string sections, and ample layers of percussion, all interacting with the underlying thrum of deep house synths. More than that, the songs are warm and inviting, with the gently insistent melodies that are becoming the young artist's hallmark. Bouncing back and forth between Yoruba and English,
sounds effortlessly assertive, steering the album through a humid array of moods and tones largely on his own steam. The only collaborative feature on
is mentor and
YBNL Nation
label boss
Olamide
on the nimble standout "Amapiano." Where
charted his rise,
firmly cements
's place as a Nigerian star with global appeal. ~ Timothy Monger