Dredw and Essilfie’s highly anticipated EP is the apex of their brilliant partnership thus far and might be one of this year’s standouts: song for song. “LUV LYF” is available on all digital streaming platforms here: https://vyd.co/Luvlyf
The producer-DJ and the fast-rising singer’s adventures together have been almost impossible to miss, even for the countless casuals out there. They have been the duo to watch in Ghana as of late, funneling lots of hype into their forthcoming project with a couple of releases that sought to revitalize our imagination. And finally, after months of keeping us on all ten toes, their much-awaited project is now official. Say hello to “LUV LYF!”
A well-composed tape brought to life by the mesmerizing vocals of Essilfie, “LUV LYF” has five songs that extend into multiple themes suggestive of its title. It’s the perfect bite-sized offering, boasting songs like ‘So Sweet’ and its equally sweet-toned conclusion, ’Body.’ The two are sure earworms that gleam with the timeless vocals of Essilfie – who continues to do her thing – while upholding topics of finding true love and body positivity, respectively. But that’s not to say the EP starts dull. ‘Ride (I Luv It)’ is a stunning opener and is arguably the project’s most heartfelt, lyrically. Essilfie squeezes the most out of Dredw’s simple yet classy shekere-sounding loops, introducing plush, vibrant vocals that seek to reassure her lover that they will be happiest together.
‘Say My Name,’ the EP’s penultimate, slots in as a slow jam to be enjoyed by lovers infatuated with one another, and Essilfie nails this feeling with her tuneful inflections. Throughout “LUV LYF” the singer is a joy to behold, however, one other thing is also unmistakable: Dredw is solid! He produces all five songs, ensuring the synergy between him and Essilfie is not only consistent but enduring. Every tune on the record feels tailor-made for Essilfie, as it should. Whether it is lifting inspiration from genres foreign to Ghana – think Afro-pop and Amapiano – or one of its very own, Highlife. ‘Hittin’’ is fashioned from the latter. It has the singer relish puffing and blowing her pain away: “Lights are getting brighter, time to grab my lighter/Forget about my case, this is no place for tears” and is a reminder that it’s okay to take a break when the going gets rough.
Talking about what seems to be the apex of their brilliant partnership thus far, Dredw shared: “Compiling “LUV LYF” was quite a challenge because there were so many great songs at our disposal, so it was hard to make a selection but we made sure fans got the best of the best. After all, it has been long overdue and we’re glad the fans were patient enough. It is our wish they enjoy it”.
There is a fine distinction between “LUV LYF” and a lot of records out there. It escapes feeling mundane by sidestepping the issue of “filler” songs as well as being blatantly generic, which is a plus in our books. Dredw and Essilfie lock a lot of calm, confidence and originality in their highly anticipated project, writing it off as one of this year’s best: song for song, which is exactly why “LUV LYF” is an aesthetic bundle of pure vibes. Enjoy!
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