For a duo, at first glance Kikky Badass and African Wine seem like an odd pairing. One is an established hip hop act (arguably the greatest female rapper Zimbabwe has ever produced), and the other is pop act that wanders from pop rock to dancehall and everything in between. Yet the merging of popular music and rap has often produced some of the world's biggest global hits, so why not?
The album title, No Label, seems to be one that speaks on two fronts, a double entendre of sorts. It says the project doesn't have the backing of a record label, while also being a refusal by the artists to be boxed in (labelled) in terms of their creativity. A fitting term for both the thematic and sonic nature of the EP.
The experimental project features 6 tracks, and it exists at the confluence of pop, hip hop and R&B, with an undercurrent of defiance at the heart of it's lyricism.
"Gomo" the soulful opener, raises the question, "Ndiani ko, ndiani angandiudza kuti ndorikwira sei ndorikwira sei gomo?" - Who can tell me how to overcome this mountain? A poignant lament about facing difficulties in life.
"Home" is a pop rock ode to the place we belong and a reminder to keep going when things get tough. This wades into the Afrobeats inclined "IDRC" - I Don't Really Care, which features Denimwoods and tells the story of a love that no longer feels the same.
"Bantu" featuring Mbali The Real raises the tempo and delivers a rap performance over an amapiano beat. While "Thighs" sees the duo reflecting on body image over a pop rock instrumental they adorn with R&B vocals and rap verses. The essence of the song is captured in the lyrics: "As I'm looking in the mirror I see God's special creature/Like the remix of the year ndine maspecial features."
The EP culminates in the emotive, yet vulnerable "Ishe Ndirangarirei," a call for God's mercy that fittingly wraps together themes of struggle and heartbreak.
No Label sees Kikky Badass displaying a versatility we haven't usually seen from her, but it's a welcome breath of fresh air. While the experiment has moments when the puzzle pieces have an awkward fit, when the recipe works well it really does.
The EP's production is handled by TatendaLXA, who has earned a name for himself for putting new twists on old favourites. Although some of his work on this EP feels routine and not particularly inventive, it somehow works out in the final product.
No Label strikes a poignant note and there is much to love about it as an EP. It has a wondering sonic compass that does it no favours in cohesion but in isolation the songs just work. It rebels against our expectations and as far as intentions go, that's living up to No Label.
Greedysouth rating: 6.6/10