By Ayomide Tayo
Album: The Passport
Artiste: Tay
Guest Appearances- Sute, Shiz, Idara
Producers: Tay
Record Label: Bantu Collective (2014)
Duration: 40 minutes
Tay’s ‘Passport’ is light years ahead of its time
Meet 17-year-old singer/songwriter/producer Tay. His mixtape ‘Passport,’ released in May, is a hidden gem of amazing R&B quality. Austin ‘Tay’ Iwar is a surprising mix of Drake, the Weeknd, Miguel and Frank Ocean. Light years ahead of his age, he brings to the table atmospheric R&B, popularized by the aforementioned superstars. He is the embodiment of all the vocal and moody attributes of R&B’s leading men, with the trippy atmosphere dripping with lust, want, desire and regret. It’s a startling surprise that a man so young has so much talent. Not only is he an impressive singer, he is also a dope producer.
‘Passport’ starts off with ‘Gabriel’ featuring Sute, a conceptual track dedicated to his guardian angel/lover. ‘Looking but never seeing. Hearing but never listening. Days go on with no meaning, and no colour. A life without no love. Talking about the darkness yeah’ cries Tay before he sees the light. ‘Never thought I would see the light. I hear the angels singing- my own Gabriel. Free-free falling yeah. I love the feel because you are always there to catch me.’ His falsetto, which pierces the smokey ambience he constructed, sounds as if he is in the throes of ecstasy with a heavenly winged creature. Sute- his brother- raps ‘I’ve got my feet on the earth/head in the skies/I throw my seed in the earth, and turn my head to the sky/I pray to my God-looking for his face in the stars.’
On ‘Lust or Love’, a trippy, syrupy lust themed song, Tay asks if it is ‘lust or love you want?’ Judging from his lyrics, it is the former. ‘Friday night, she a bad girl, wanting me to take off them draws.’ After copulation he sings ‘now you standing there naked. Looking at me yes, girl you know you are wasted.’
Soft rock and R&B come up on ‘Lost’. On this track he asks ‘Are you ready for the world?’ before revealing his inner thoughts ‘See I am just lost. Can’t find myself. In this world I cannot be heard. Take a look around now, you ignore the rules.’ ‘Lost’ comes with the track reversal effect which creates a distorted sound. ‘P. Juice (Interlude)’ starts off as smooth R&B, before Tay switches up the beat. ‘Your love is like pineapple juice…sweet every hour. It cannot be sour’ sings Tay. The only bitter thing about this song is that it is only one minute and thirty-six seconds long.
‘Spiritual’ is a song with a slow, early morning vibe. ‘Gold is what you are underneath all those clothes/you-you are my attention from across the room’ sings the 17 year old composer. On ‘Spiritual’ Tay finally reveals his Nigerian roots as he sings ‘Anything you want I swear I go do for you…e be like say you juju me, ’cause I can’t explain my love for you.’ A heavenly choir backup towards the end of the track elevates the song to a higher realm. This song perfectly highlights his style of production – layered, complicated, and ethereal.
‘Bounce 3’ boasts of a ‘me against the world theme’, a piercing saxophone, and an another attention grabbing cameo from Sute.
On ‘The Box’, Tay channels Frank Ocean. Guitar picks start the song, with conga drums and rapid claps following shortly after. The song breaks into a groove towards the middle, with him singing, ‘You don’t want to break yourself’. I don’t believe in all those rules and stuff like you do.’ ‘Try’ (Interlude) is another soft rock blessing. Tay starts singing ‘Suddenly I feel like I keep running from the reality of things yeah. I don’t know what I want. Is it the money or the fame or the both yeah? Do your best, and leave the rest for the world to work out yeah. ‘Cos when you love something, when you love anything, you gotta try.’ Guitar riffs and drums uplift the song to stadium status. It’s a shame it’s only an interlude.
Tay makes a conceptual switch on the last two tracks on Passport. He tries his hands at Naija pop on ‘Right Now’ featuring Shiz, and ‘Party’. Both tracks are commendable, especially the latter, but Tay should have continued with the atmospheric R&B feel of Passport. At least these two tracks show how versatile he is.
After listening to Passport, you’re probably going to play it again. This sort of talent is a breath of fresh air. Tay has the foundation to be an international star if he continues to grow in this direction. The depth he displays on this project has no contemporary in mainstream music in Nigeria. That is how unique he is. Soulful and emotional, Tay is one of a kind, and Passport is a valuable body of work.
Rating- 4/5
Listen to Tay’s ‘Passport’ below…
