Coblaze has come alive, this time around with a debut extended project, Orbit. Released March 24, 2023 under the distribution of The Plug entertainment, the album is home to 6 tracks, spread over a running time of 16 minutes, 18 seconds.
Since he graced the limelight a few years ago, Coblaze has gone ahead to carve a familiar niche for himself as an Afrobeats and R & B connoisseur. In 2019, the artiste joined forces with Graham D to announce himself on Bless, and teamed up with Cflow to replicate a similar momentum on Lamborghini Mercy. In 2021, he released the single Come, before re-appearing a year after to emblazon his talent on our minds through hits, Good Girl and Hallelu— all three songs being off his current album-long brainchild. His most recent single has become the target of several innovative TikTok and Instagram dance video remakes.
Coblaze has previously been on the receiving end of positive reviews concerning his sonic abilities. The Culture Custodian once described his talent as “multifaceted artistry”, with the artiste himself getting a thumbs-up for demonstration of an appreciable knowledge of music that translates into “an edge in a dangerously competitive market”. There is absolutely no doubt that, given the singer’s ingenious style, he is set to stay afloat for a while. His longevity would, however, be determined by how consistent he stays to his craft. And the signs are quite positive, with his startling rise being a testament to the fact that he cannot be held in a straightjacket.
On the surface, Orbit is a modest but efficient amalgam of honeyed sounds. Deep into its lyrics, and acting on romantic impulse, the predominantly lover-boy persona gets a field day. Describing how much this EP means to him, Coblaze was quoted as saying, “I want to send a positive message to everyone that’s going to listen to it. I’ve gained so much confidence from writing this EP and that’s what I want people to take away.”
The album sets off on a rocking, percussion-peppered note with Lady Fiona, but it is the guest appearance of Top Boy trademarker Dj Spinall that passes the flagship test. The beginning energy is passed on to Jazz Me in which the artiste talks about being held spellbound by his female lover, Onome, whom he pledges to care for. Next comes Cruise, another feel-good hit that chronicles the persona’s obsession for another female lover, this time around named Shade. This is followed by the thematically deviant hit of the album, Hallelu, a song tinged with argot as it passes the message of prioritizing a focused, goal-oriented life, delivered in an almost unnoticed manner. In Good Girl, there is an undisguised use of paradox as the crooner fantasizes about “a very good girl with Ashawo vibes”. When he eventually steps out of this reverie, he appears to embrace a more plausible reality as he shows off his wealth and swag in a bid to woo a lady on Come.
Rather than being a rollercoaster of emotions, Orbit focuses on mini-chronicles of love driven through the boulevard of bliss. At this pace of sonic evolution, Coblaze is surely taking and retaining his place amongst other new generation Afrobeats talents, including Omah Lay, Asake and BNXN.
Listen to Orbit here: