Album Review: Best Songs In Marioo's Debut Album "The Kid You Know"

Have you listened to The Kid You Know Album? The album that serves as Marioo's first body of work has been well received by fans and has without a doubt established Marioo as a mega Bongo Fleva sensation. Here is our review and pick of what we see to be the best songs in the 17-track project. 

From the moment he released Dar Kugumu, we all knew Marioo was never again going to be a regular Joe Schmo. His melancholic and feathery vocals that decorated Barnaba's Marry Me complemented with excellent and matured songwriting that made Gigy Money's "Papa" a national anthem have forced different Bongo Fleva acts such as Diamond Platnumz, Harmonize, and Ali Kiba to publicly confess that Marioo is pure talent. 

READ ALSO: Why Barnaba's "Marry Me" Ft Marioo Is The Best Song On "Love Sounds Different" Album | SEE REVIEW

His recently released The Kid You Know Album takes Marioo on a journey where he explores different musical styles such as Amapiano, Afrobeats, and R&B while remaining true to his Bongo Fleva roots. Here is our review of the best songs in the album. 

Lonely - Featuring Loui & Abbah 

The well-executed Amapiano song infused with a little bit of Bongo Fleva spiced up with Loui's bright voice at the beginning of the song, aimed to give us a sense of optimism about what to expect from the rest of the album. 

The song first made waves on Tiktok and Instagram before the album dropped and what makes the track so good is the bait-and-switch strategy that Marioo used in the song. Being able to lyrically communicate your fears, sadness, and frustrations while making fans dance at the same time is an art strategy that only Marioo can execute. 

I Miss - Featuring Ali Kiba

When "The Kid You Know" tracklist first dropped "I Miss" was the most anticipated song in the album and without a doubt, Marioo and Ali Kiba have been able to deliver what was expected from them. 

When you listen to "I Miss" you will realize how the two Bongo Fleva stars had the same goal but different visions whereas Marioo was so focused on showcasing his lyrical prowess while Ali Kiba was on the other hand so absorbed in his voice. 

The song's lyrics might be simple, non-sophisticated, and bumbling but when you listen to Ali Kiba's chants and well-executed vocals in the second verse, that's when you will realize why fans have been craving and sealing the song as an album standout. 

Siwezi 

The soft beautiful trumpet at the beginning of this song and Marioo's depressing vocals that create a dark and gloomy mood, would for a moment make you concentrate on the song's melody only but when Marioo starts to repeatedly mourn  "Why?", it is at that point you will start to appreciate the message that Marioo is trying to communicate. 

Throughout "Siwezi" Marioo tries to assure his lover that he will never break her heart and it is this pure Bongo Fleva Tune that reminds us of the older version of Marioo who only toyed around Bongo Fleva with hits like "Asante", "Inatosha" and "Unanionea"

Anisamehe 

In this song, Marioo shares a microphone with the BET Awards winner, Rayvanny, who does an incredible job in the second verse.  

When you remove the energetic and uptempo beat, "Anisamehe" which is a Swahili word for "Forgive Me" is lyrically a heartbreak song where both Marioo and Rayvanny ask for sympathy and apology from their other half. 

Lagalaga 

Lagalaga is the first attempt by Marioo to crack things wide open for himself in the West African music Market and to complete the mission he taps "Dunnie", a girl who wrapped Afrobeats under her feet with her Oxlade-assisted "Overdose" remix. 

Just like what Kusah did in his "Magical" duet with Johnny Drille, In Lagalaga, Marioo makes the song great by using his gloomy vocals and a frantic beat to once again prove that as a Bongo Fleva star, you don't have to add a disco element in a song, every time you collaborate with a Nigerian.