Obongjayar – Some Nights I Dream of Doors
Obongjayar's distinctive voice and incredible energy guide his debut album, Some Nights I Dream of Doors, but at times it feels restrained.
Despite releasing a string of singles and EPs over the last few years, it wasn’t until Steven Umoh, aka Obongjayar, featured on two of 2021’s biggest tracks – Little Simz’ Point and Kill and Pa Salieu’s Style & Fashion – that he really became one to watch. Umoh’s distinctive voice and incredible energy guided those features and that’s also what guides his debut album, Some Nights I Dream of Doors.
There’s a richness to Umoh’s voice that sounds as good on the more delicate tracks (All the Difference) as it does on the punchier ones (Message in a Hammer). It’s on the more Afrobeat-leaning tracks, though, like Sugar and Tinko Tinko (Don’t Play Me For a Fool), where Umoh really excels. But there is a slightly subdued quality to the record, and the same urgency that was heard on those 2021 features doesn't surface.
Some Nights I Dream of Doors feels like a real expression of Umoh’s wide-ranging influences and it succeeds in showcasing his diverse vocal range. However, at times it feels restrained and, for an artist as unique as Umoh, it feels like a missed opportunity.
Listen to: Sugar, New Man, Tinko Tinko (Don’t Play Me for a Fool)