Theta (album)

''Theta'' is the tenth studio album by Nigerian singer Brymo, independently released on May 27, 2022. The album comprises ten tracks and was recorded entirely in Nigerian Pidgin. Labeled a folk, sentimental ballad, and quiet storm record, ''Theta'' explores themes of survival, prudence, sexual violence, abuse, hypocrisy, communal violence, and love. The album's production was handled by Bigfoot, who single-handedly produced Brymo's ''Libel'' and '' 9: Harmattan & Winter'' projects in their entirety.

Brymo announced the album's track list in a Twitter post and characterized the record as an examination of human hardships and a glimpse of what could have been. Music critics lauded ''Theta'' for being simplistic.

Background

''Theta'' is Brymo's third full-length project in barely a year. In 2021, he released '' 9: Èsan'' and '' 9: Harmattan & Winter'' as his eighth and ninth albums, respectively. ''Theta'' has ten tracks and was recorded entirely in Nigerian Pidgin. Brymo announced the album's track list in a Twitter post and described the record as "a study of humanity's struggles – and a view into what it might have been". Producer Bigfoot, who previously oversaw the production of Brymo's ''Harmattan & Winter'' and ''Libel'' projects, single-handedly produced all of the album's tracks.

Music and lyrics

''Theta'' is a mixture of sentimental ballad, quiet storm, and folk music. It deals with themes of survival, prudence, sexual violence, abuse, hypocrisy, communal violence, and love. Every song on the album features rhythmic percussion and a piano chord. Although ''Theta'' has tracks with percussion and upbeat tempos, its chord progression is mostly dark and melancholic.

Tracks 1–5

"Illusions", the album's opening track, has a somber and contemplative tone. On the record, Brymo analyzes the transatlantic slave trade and sarcastically highlights the behavior of African slaves towards their enslavers. Afrocritik writer Chinonso Ihekire wrote that while Brymo's position might be deemed inaccurate, the singer addresses the topic and conjure up graphic imageries that are reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino's ''Django Unchained''. The mellow track "Pim Pim" is driven by "piano chords, shekere, and slow drums". In "Pim Pim", Brymo explores various people-centered worldviews. Ihekire said Brymo is not guilt-ridden about his lowly upbringing and that the record is evocative of the singer's individual challenges.

In "Dem No Born Us Together", an Afrobeats track, Brymo is critical of the bandwagon effect and advises listeners to consider their decisions. In "Love Na Drug", Brymo describes an agape love and talks about people who resent him. ''Pulse Nigeria''s Motolani Alake praised Brymo for being an unapologetic human being and said the song depicts him as someone who expresses his genuine feelings. "Money Good", the album's fifth track, was described by Ihekire as a "slow-burn ode".

Tracks 6–10

The slow-tempo track "Life Dey Go On" is composed of jazz-esque keys and violins. The seventh track, "Tomorrow", explores the theme of prudence. In the metal track "Oga", Brymo reflects on his 2020 rape allegations, which were discussed on ''Libel'' and made public on Twitter. The song describes a male character who has sexually molested a lady and is about to experience defeat. Alake considers "Oga" to be an anomaly and said it leans more towards suffering, repercussions, and punishment.

"Market Square", the ninth track, is a folksy song that ridicules people's ability to understand karma-related jokes. Alake said the song exemplifies Brymo's straightforward songwriting style. The album's closing track, "For You", delves into the idea of "love adulation".

Critical reception

''Pulse Nigeria''s Motolani Alake awarded the album 8.2 out of 10, calling it simplistic and noting that it "feels like an anthological series about society, humanity and our plight, delivered via a collection of mostly personal perspectives, feelings and musings." In a review for ''The Cable Lifestyle'', Fareedat Taofeeq rated the album 7/10, calling it "a great piece" and praising the singer for embracing the literal meaning of each song.

Afrocritik's Chinonso Ihekire granted the album a rating of 8.0 out of 10, saying it "provides a reassuring feel of genius" and that its only noticeable imperfection is "its status as the work of a human mind eternally condemned to imperfection." Ihekire also characterized the album as "a complex masterpiece" and said it thrives on "simplicity".

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from Spotify.
*Ọlawale Ọlọfọrọ – performer, writer
*Bigfoot – production

Release history

References

{{Brymo

2022 albums
Brymo albums
Folk albums
Quiet storm albums