It is still only July,but this is already a strong contender for Song of The Year.One of those superstar collaborations where all the involved individuals deliver to the best of their abilities.An infectious cocktail of afrobeats and zouk produced by Lutalo’s right hand man Yaled at Double Kick,Herbert Skillz was entrusted with the mixing and mastering.The result is a delightfully cohesive project.
Lutalo and Rema take turns waxing lyrical about their Love Commisioner who makes them swoon,threatening to fight whoever tries to come between them.The chorus has Rema ask Lutalo to spite those who detract their love by declaring it openly ,to which the Luweero born crooner responds in the affirmative.
But it is Lutalo’s opening couplet that sets the tone for the ear candy to come.”Muby’ebbeyi onsingira American dollar/Kyova olaba nkutunilira nnenemoola”.The rhyme scheme alone is impressive but that is standard for Lutalo.Its true power lies in how evocative it is of the trappings of young love before the chemicals’ hold on the brain is loosened.
The melodies of Rema’s verse are unmistakeably Yaled’s,but the verve with which she delivers it is reminiscent of her earliest offerings.Think Sitaki and Deep in Love in the early 2010s.The urbane feel it gives the song perfectly contrasts Lutalo’s trading center vibe.Which is ironic because over the past decade,Lutalo’s sound has urbanised at roughly the same rate as Rema’s has localised.
Lutalo has one more gem in the final verse,declaring “Gwe wangonzangonza si vertigo”.The number of songwriters in Uganda who could coin such a line can be counted on one hand.The song is currently approaching three million YouTube views and I must admit this success is richly deserved.
