Navio outs ‘The Chosen’
Navio performs during the lauch of his The Chosen album launch at Panamera Bar and Lounge in Kampala last Saturday. Photo by Douglas D. Sebamala.
Navio released his fourth solo album, The Chosen, last Saturday at Panamera Bar and Lounge in Kampala, competing with several other highly anticipated entertainment events around Kampala on the same day. The event attracted a mix of die-hard hip hop fans and club goers, although the crowd grew towards midnight after Navio took to the stage.
The artiste calls his latest album, a “snapshot” recording. “It is a clean image of my thoughts right now. As my next album will be all conscious music, I decided to make this an unapologetic snapshot into my feeling right now. It is the raw Navio of old,” he said.
Terming the event a relaxed affair, Navio interacted with his fans and friends, picking their minds on the album. He performed a mix of old and new songs, alongside other collaborating artistes, including songs off the new album such as Crazy with Keko, You Want It with The Mith, Wine Up Ya Ting with Silvastone, as well as his previous works such as Nawuliranga and Glory Road with Ruyonga. To the Top, featuring Charlie King is a blend of Swahili and English.
Interestingly, while he was ranked flawless singing in Luganda, Swahili rolls quite easily off his tongue, as Cheza Gbesile featuring Burna Boy is one of the most revered tracks off the album. Navio and the crowd danced that popular Nigerian stroke “shoki” as the identifiable Nigerian sound penetrated through.
Like You Want It, which begins with African drum-like sounds, these songs show how African is contemporary with modern sound.
Unlike other albums, some tracks off The Chosen were produced outside Uganda, giving it an exotic-contemporary yet retrospective sound, thanks to the multi-cultural merger of producers. He worked with Talent Africa Studio’s Samurae, Dawoo at Audio Central Kampala, Dupy Beats, Abassa, Bano Beats at MpoAfrica Studios (Tanzania), Kid Classic (Atlanta), Ken at Buzz Studio, Paddyman and Aethan for music.
Some of the songs have a slower tempo, others a feel good music, while some get you dancing on the floor. The variety gives the album a whole structured finishing. It will be sold online at Jumia.
