Bibo Worldwide Side A is the first half of the Heavy Machine hitmaker's 3rd album. An album said to feature 16 tracks and boasting of some international features. Bryan K himself says this is his greatest piece of work since his rise in 2012. In recent interviews the singer has said the album is a sound ready for international markets.
The album title seems to originate from an old nickname of his that was given to him because he used to play basketball a lot. From basketball came bball which then became Bibo due to it's pronunciation. Therefore the album title is a proclamation that he's bringing himself to the world. So we took a listen of the album ourselves to see what to make of it.
Tracklist:
- Dzemabwe
- Hlanganani
- Shaina
- Simudza Msoro ft Crooger
- Kure Kure
- Ita ft Jnr Brown and Nutty O
- Hupenyu
- Kuchena
It is a beautiful blend of sound that carries with it a strong message about hope, perseverance and the feeling of home. It opens up with a vibrant sound that is somewhat contained in it's tempo. It goes on to maintain this same momentum throughout the album. Bibo Worldwide is a blend of many sounds but it remains distinct in its own nature. Bryan K's sound is identifiable throughout.
Dzemabwe offers a tale about home and in Bryan K's case home is Zimbabwe. He reminisces about the playful times of childhood and how the country once saw better times but he offsets the melancholy by speaking on hope for better times in the future. Hlanganani talks of how our generation will shape Africa, it calls for unity and asks for the African narrative to change. It's a rallying call for Africa's youth to realize their future is in their hands.
The album is full of conscious thought and it's message will speak to not only the youth but older generations. It has a lot of influences from jazz, a bit of urban grooves, some afrofusion and present Zim HipHop. Simudza Msoro featuring Crooger tells us to keep our heads held high in our pursuits. It has well weighted lyrics that are delivered with a matching impact to rhythm and melody.
Although not one of my favourite songs in terms of sound Ita ft Jnr Brown and Nutty O speaks to me. It's a message on individuality and how people should stick to their own lanes. Each to their own in essence. An important word in today's world were uniqueness is often painted over in favour of uniformity.
Kuchena wraps up the package with a message on the envy of others. It speaks on how we shouldn't be quick to desire what others have as it is not always earned in the best of ways. It hints on achieving content with our lot in life and it's a great ending to the album's overall message.
It's still up in the air if it will be greeted with commercial success but the quality in the art of lyricism and vocal delivery is there. It's certainly an album that'll age well with time and a lot of the lyrics will stick in your head. They're a few missteps but no project is ever perfect especially when you deliver a message that's rich and from the heart.
Greedysouth rating: 7/10
If you've listened to the album let us know what you think in the comments.