Patoranking, a prominent artist in the music industry, has displayed a reluctance to evolve in his musical journey over the years. This lack of evolution is evident in his approach to creating albums, as he seems to compile tracks from his extensive catalog without giving much thought to their cohesion. “World Best,” his latest album, can be described as a hybrid of his previous work, particularly “Wilmer,” due to its disjointed lyrical themes and sounds.
The Evolution of Patoranking’s Music
While there has been a noticeable growth from his “Wilmer” album to “Three,” Patoranking still struggles with the selection of songs that constitute an album. The lack of a coherent theme and sound in “World Best” reflects this challenge.
A Disjointed Collection
“World Best” opens with the track “Inshallah,” a drill song that serves as an anthem for those striving for success. While this track has the potential to be a standout street anthem as a single, its inclusion in the album alongside tracks like “Mama” creates a jarring contrast. “Mama” is an Afrobeat song heavily influenced by Southeastern Ponpon High-life sound and pays tribute to Patoranking’s late mother. Despite both songs being individually good, their lack of thematic and sonic cohesion diminishes their album quality.
Exploring Different Avenues
“Miracle Baby” is a noteworthy track on the album, produced by Phantom and featuring veteran American rapper Ludacris. It discusses rising from humble beginnings to achieve greatness and adopts a contemporary Afrobeat sound. However, like the other tracks, it stands apart from the rest in terms of sound, making it difficult to find a unified theme throughout the album.
Collaborations and Their Impact
“Babylon” is a collaboration with Nigerian rising star Victony, focusing on confronting one’s enemies. While this track shares some thematic similarities with “Miracle Baby,” its Jamaican Dancehall-inspired beat deviates sonically. This disparity in sound could hinder the album’s overall synergy, even though Victony’s contribution adds significant value to the song.
Shifting Moods and Vibes
“Kolo Kolo” featuring East African music superstar Diamond Platnumz is another example of how the album’s mood and sound frequently shift. This love song, with a faster tempo resembling Nigeria’s street sound known as “konto,” contrasts with the previous track, “Babylon.” While “Kolo Kolo” captures the essence of being passionately in love, it disrupts the album’s overall flow due to its inconsistency.
Dance Vibes with Gyakie
The song “Control Me,” featuring Ghanaian musical ace Gyakie, delves into the theme of being captivated by a love interest. It successfully incorporates dance vibes with an Afrobeat sound, but like the others, it lacks the cohesion needed for a seamless album experience.
Conclusion
Patoranking’s “World Best” album showcases his talent and growth as an artist, but it suffers from a lack of thematic and sonic cohesion. While individual tracks stand out for their quality, the album as a whole struggles to maintain a consistent mood and theme. Patoranking’s tendency to blend various styles and themes results in a disjointed listening experience. “World Best” may appeal to fans of his diverse musical range, but it falls short of achieving the album quality that could have elevated it to greater heights.
