Although blessing us in recent times with a couple of singles Takura had long been silent. He had taken a sabbatical from music and as usual the internet always sees that as falling off. Well after a bit of a slight delay his latest body of work Star Signs is finally here.
A 12 track album boasting of various local features and a few international ones. The album was preceded by 3 singles and honestly one of them was luke warm and the next was a theme for the struggle that didn't quite hit the mark and then there's "It's okay not to be okay".
The single recently dropped, just a few days before the album and it came with visuals that said hands off the throne because the king is back. In the video the first scene begins with Takura getting coronated and anytime there's a coronation we expect a royal feast of music. He didn't disappoint because it was just the right blend of a trap beat and lyrical delivery and it was just in time to get us hyped for the album release.
Tracklist:
- It's okay not to be okay (intro)
- Ndini ndinaye ft GZE
- Who you are
- Tamba inorira
- Wind on the beat ft Tellaman & Priddy Ugly
- No stopping (remix) ft Exq & Blaqbonez
- Monster ft WaMambo
- My Lover ft Laylizzy
- Pafoni ft Freeman
- Cut them off ft Holy Ten
- No stopping
- Mufaro
Star signs is a body of work that draws inspiration from Takura's experiences. He touches on his depression in "It's okay to not be okay", which addresses why he couldn't release music for a year. In his own words he says, "I know a lot of people aren't comfortable admitting they go through things... At that point in my life I was unsure about life and I didn't know what I wanted for the first time. I had to take time for myself and with time I was blessed enough to get through the dark phase in my life."
A lot of the EP talks about the ups and downs of the journey of finding love. Ndini ndinaye has a smooth rhythm to it and Takura comes through with soft R & B vocals matching the tempo of the beat and you're instantly into it. I'm tossed into a private room with someone's daughter while trying to practice the art of my tongue convincing her of things I haven't yet done. GZE comes through with authority and altogether it's a masterful recipe.
Wind on the beat comes through with an afro fusion instrumental, Takura's R &B vocals and Tellaman is as good as ever on it and Priddy Ugly equally holds his own. It's relationship that seems misconceived at first but works together to produce a beautiful sound.
Star signs is a blend of various genres that explores the themes common to us all within our lives. It's afro fusion meets R & B meets trap music meets bits of dancehall and well I think the sum of the parts isn't better than the individual parts themselves in this instance. Takura could also be a victim of his own success, his last album SHTDi (Someone had to do it) set such a high that it is hard to match.
Yet songs like Cut them off featuringt Holy Ten absolutely blow me away. I sit there and say well damn. It's Takura at the peak of his musical powers and it absolutely vibes. And let me say Holy Ten doesn't miss. Hands down my favorite song on the album followed by It's okay not to be okay as a close second. Who you are and others adding to the line at the back.
"Idzi hadzidi kusekererwa dzoita clown
Ini handidi kudzikisirwa for the clout
I'm a rebel in the flesh cut them off
I got no money to waste ndoita loss
I got niggas feeling pressed to the walls
I might even be the best of them all"
- Takura on Cut them off
Star Signs is definitely an album for the international market, from the features to the production which is out of this world. It's not the Takura of previous albums, which brings about mixed feelings for long time fans but it's been long said that it is folly to keep chasing after past successes.
Is Star Signs a good body of work? Yes it is, but does it match the hype though? I don't know. Takura says it's one that'll grow on you and I'm tempted to believe that. Over the three days I've listened to the album my appreciation has grown of it. Yet personally I just feel they're a few tracks that stick out for the wrong reasons. Let us know what you think of it in the comments.
Greedysouth rating: 6.9/10