Checking in on the Nigerian charts…
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[6.17]
Thomas Inskeep: Gently skanking dancehall, heavy on the Auto-Tune. If you like that kind of thing, you’ll like this.
[4]
Will Adams: Patoranking’s got that buttercream Auto-Tune going on (less T-Pain, more Kevin Lyttle) that contrasts well with Sarkodie’s upfront rap verse. The light dancehall production serves more as a conduit for each of their voices.
[6]
Iain Mew: The multi-layered beat is a work of art on its own, and it bangs so unostentatiously that the song can step up to a high level of intensity while remaining beguilingly smooth.
[7]
Jonathan Bradley: It’s more concertedly dancehall than I’ve heard from many Nigerian artists, but that’s not a bad thing, particularly when it’s executed this delicately. Even Sarkodie’s contextually forceful rap reinforces the good vibes. I’d be more excited, but even the chorus plays it soft.
[6]
Jonathan Bogart: A pop song about women establishing boundaries and, despite whining from the men involved, those boundaries being respected is noteworthy enough that even if Patoranking and Sarkodie weren’t two of West Africa’s most fascinating and charismatic performers “No Kissing Baby” would be one of my favorite songs of the year. As it is, they turn their pleading into genial seduction and the reiterated refusal into a lighter-than-air anthem.
[8]
Will Rivitz: If What A Time To Be Alive were made in the style of Views‘ poppier side, you might end up with something like this. The song is far too crowded — panpipes and synths out of Mario 64 jostle with chiptune snippets and flimsy steel drums while the bass overpowers everything else — but its hypnotic repetition should condition hips to move unconsciously anyway.
[6]