Tosin Martins’ ‘I am M.E.S’ was made to venerate the Christian God

Artiste- Tosin Martins

Producers- Tosin Martins, Masterkraft, Sarz, Wole Oni, Dokta Frabz, Rotimi Akinfemwa, Ola T, Jumbo Aniebet

Record Label- Loopy Music (2014)

Duration- 48 minutes

The man Tosin Martins has always been one to split opinion with his music. In 2006, he birthed an evergreen wedding favourite, ‘Olo Mi’, which threw him onto the radar. Almost a decade after that, he has struggled to define himself in a rich career which has spawned three albums (Happy Day, Higher, I Am M.E.S), and 2 EPs.

But what needs no definition is his talent. Tosin Martins is a gifted singer, and he has put that to use within the past 10 years to become a trio of things – Minister, Entertainer, Statesman (M.E.S).

His latest album echoes these distinctive personalities in which he would rather be classified, a polychromatic musical existence, utilized in classification of his music, guiding his every thought, beat, touch, and vocal.

As a Minister of the Gospel of the Christian faith, Martins starts off his LP with the drum-heavy ‘Tim’ba’, which comes off as a creative play with popular Nigerian gospel songs. He samples a number of mainstream church music, setting the tone for what is predominantly a Gospel album.

Martins is too much of a Christian singer, and he packs this album full with songs to back that claim. Eight songs are dedicated to a higher being. Even the jewel of this collection, ‘Iba’, a piercing, imploration cut, which houses creative input from Cobhams Asuquo, and melodic contribution from the timeless Ebenezer Obey, is faith-based.

“So I grab my head and cry, for mercy drops to all that matters, may the struggles in my world, find a respite to yours above…” Tosin cries in supplication to the Christian God for goodwill.

As an entertainer, Tosin might meet some difficulty in convincing music savvy folks. He channels his secular creative energy solely into platonic love. ‘Letter Days’ with Waje, is an emotive Highlife number which affects the listener with the most basic of lyrics. The diva adds colour to the track, which sits on the number 2 spot on the album. He rinses and repeats this formula with Tiwa Savage later on in this album with ‘Champion Love’. Another duet with a female vocalist.

A pacy celebration song with Vector, ‘Otiya’, just feels like it would be at home somewhere else. Not on this album. It is direly out of place.

Tosin’s entertainment might be appealing to the Christain faithfuls, but a movement from that position of holiness brings little to his craft. Secularists won’t be too pleased.

Tosin’s claim to statesmanship is a justified one. He has been in this trade for as long can be recalled, experiencing the full spectrum of genres and fusion sounds that has invaded and shaped our collective appreciation of music. He shows this off with an Old-school, Yo-pop, song, ‘Welcome to Lagos’. Also this can be gleaned in part by his inculcation of the dead custom of letter writing into a song. The track ‘Letter Days’ talks about a time long gone, before social media corrupted the youth.

“Girl I remember when we was younger, before there was Yahoo, or even Facebook. I wrote you letters and you replied me after…Baby I miss the letter days…”

But the most illustrative trait of Tosins’s statesman status is his understanding of music. He feels at home in every genre, exuding experiential grace and maturity as he blends with the instrumentation to generate musical art. ‘I am M.E.S’ is brimming with a number of genres and fusions, which are pulled off with aplomb and dignity.

Tosin is class, like fine wine brewed through generations. His pop culture relevance might be in question, but his ability is masterclass. Tosin is yet to experience another mainstream moment in the sun after ‘Olo mi’, and that can be blamed on his pandering to faith-based music. Perhaps due to his religious convictions, he refuses to adapt to the times rife with feminine objectification and wanton indulgence. This work will not change that. It doesn’t even hint at it.

Overall, this album will be claimed by the Christian faith as a triumph of moral ideals, and veneration of God, and quite rightly so. Tosin gives them an arsenal of praise and worship. But its parts contain nuggets of entertainment for the secularists. Seek and ye shall find, O heathens.

Rating - 3

Ratings

1-Dull

2-Boring

2.5-Average

3-Worth Checking Out

3.5-Hot

4-Smoking Hot

4.5-Amazing

5-Perfection