‘Sarz Must Be Protected At All Costs’ Is a Masterclass in Curation

Posted on by Gomi Gamaliel
Sarz has been active in Nigerian music for two decades, with a bulk of that time as one of Africa’s most dynamic and sought-after music producers. Across different eras of stars and evolving soundscapes, Sarz has shape-shifted with the times while staying relevant. It’s this wealth of experience, reinvention, and the dauntlessness to merge musical worlds that informs his first-ever LP. Although long overdue, the album isn’t just Sarz kowtowing to the pressure of giving the fans what they want; it’s a statement of legacy from a man whose name is written in Gold in Nigerian music.

After four collaborative projects with dynamic artists that straddle Afrobeats, Alternative music, and the diaspora creative ecosystem, Sarz manages to find ways to push the boundaries of his abilities to match the sensibilities and hunger of a new generation of stars and listeners. Having delivered hit records for most of Afrobeats’ biggest stars, Sarz called on some of the stars with whom he shares a creative bond and new ones whose artistry he stretches to create a project whose sonics and quality hold up its chest-thumping title.

With Sarz, the quality is in the fine lines as much as it is in the manner in which his production inspires superlative performances from the stars. He takes from WurlD’s genre bending melodies and combines them with an acapella rendition by the Ndlovu Youth Choir to express his gratefulness and pave the way for the enigmatic Asake, and swerve rapper Gunna to spread the message of Happiness over log drum fusions. The album sequencing is carefully crafted to offer an experience where vibrant bounces flow into speaker-rattling bass lines.

On ‘Getting Paid,’ Asake, Wizkid, and Skillibeng combined to deliver swaggering flows of the leading voices in Afrobeats and Dancehall over Sarz’s swing production. The song paves the way for Street dominating rappers Shallipopi and Odumodublvck to bring their dynamism into the Latino pop ‘Mademoiselle’, where they are joined by Theodora and Zeina for a cultural exchange facilitated by Sarz.

Sarz’s production complements the artists as much as it showcases his desire to show the full spectrum of his ability. The achieved collaboration ‘BMF’, where Fireboy’s sensual melodies are complemented by Byron Messia’s cross continental flows, holds up Sarz’s status as a master A&R. Joeboy’s lover boy yearning on ‘Body’ finds groove in Sarz’s production, while Qing Madi’s R&B vocals on ‘In A Mustang’ get increased utility in an electrifying House production. He brings the rave to the street on ‘UP’ featuring Victony. A master genre bender, Sarz blends House, Amanpiano, and R&B productions to drive WurlD’s sensual and formless vocal delivery on ‘Nice N Slow’ before using log drum styled 808s to house Lojay’s endless romantic complexities on the Afropolitan pop record ‘Love Me Then’.

Folk drums combine with Dancehall bounce on ‘African Barbie’ where Sarz inspires a pop rap flow from Libianca and tender melodies from Teni to capture the dynamism of African women. Even on the closer ‘Billions’, featuring Lojay, Sarz gives listeners more than what they expected with a production that conveys his desire to always keep things fresh, exciting, and unpredictable.

Sarz demands that he be protected at all costs. With this project, the reason becomes clear. No one can interpret sounds and combine genres as expertly as he does. For two decades, he has shaped the soundscape, and you just know, he has another 20 years of magic left in him.

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