Nigerian producer Bashirat Adedoyin Owolabi, popularly known as Baash, explores jazz and R&B sounds on her four-track EP, Honey. The project features “Velvet Muse,” “Becoming,” “Home” and “Embracing the Sun,” with the different instruments doing all the singing.
Stream 'Honey EP' by Baash on Spotify
The EP begins with “Velvet Muse,” a smooth combination of R&B and jazz, with guitar, piano and percussion accompanying a beautiful trumpet melody. Listening to this reminded me of Keith Sweat and those old-school R&B love songs. It has that romantic feeling, the kind of music you could play while spending a quiet evening with your partner. I particularly enjoyed the trumpet and how it blends with the guitar and piano. The rhythm is quite gentle, making it easy to settle into the music.
“Becoming” continues with the R&B and jazz influences, but this time, the saxophone takes centre stage. The melody has a rather emotional feeling, with soft piano and percussion providing the accompaniment. I could easily imagine an R&B singer recording something beautiful over this instrumental, although I also think the saxophone does a good enough job on its own. It is one of those songs where you can just close your eyes and enjoy the music without worrying about what comes next.
On “Home,” Baash introduces a lovely orchestral sound, with strings giving the track a warm and peaceful feeling. This one reminded me of a quiet Friday evening after a long week. Imagine sitting on a rooftop somewhere in Lagos, having a drink and reflecting on how your week went. That's the picture that came to mind while listening. I enjoyed how calm the arrangement is, particularly the strings, which give the music a different character from the first two tracks.
The final song, “Embracing the Sun,” has more of a live jazz session feeling. The piano starts things off before the trumpet comes in, with both instruments taking turns on the melody. Towards the end, the guitar also gets its moment, which I thought was a lovely addition. It sounds like a group of musicians enjoying themselves during a jam session, and you get to appreciate the different instruments as they come in.
One thing I enjoyed about Honey is the way Baash combines these instruments without making the songs sound overcrowded. The trumpet on “Velvet Muse,” saxophone on “Becoming” and strings on “Home” were particular highlights for me.
“Velvet Muse” and “Home” were the two I enjoyed most, though “Becoming” is worth going back to for the saxophone. If old-school R&B and jazz are your kind of music, Honey is easy to settle into.
