As far as foreign language titled albums go, expectations of delivery usually range from exotic to bland, almost never an in-between. Olamide finds this middle on his tenth studio album, Carpe Diem, and this ability to work with the foreignness of his new sound after years of being constrained to street pop is almost as impressive as the sound itself.
From start to finish, Olamide is relentless in his mission of evolution, which he slowly builds from the introductory single, Another Level, a synonym for the new dawn that descends on this project. Another Level takes from the springiness of EDM music, an unlikely sound for the informal king of Street music but his rhythmic revelation of his aversion to public validation casts away all doubts.
Another Level ultimately sets a new standard for the rapper and on the project which from tracks like the Bella Shmurda assisted Triumphant and the breezy Do Better crystallizes into the promise of advancement.
Carpe Diem is Latin for ‘seize the day’ and by every indication on the twelve-track project which is surprisingly unbridled coupled with its inclusive feature, Olamide took no chances with its creation. He also takes no prisoners in the way that he carries everyone along on the project with this newfound boundless sound and persona.