Pulse review of Kaestyle's EP 'Kae's Study'

Omah Lay is one of such artists skilled in the business of making easy sound stripped of overburdening sonic elements. And from the label that brought us Omah Lay comes another exciting talent called Kaestyle.

On his debut EP 'Kae's Study', Kaestyle warms his way into the hearts of listeners by combining simple writing, soothing melody, and easy progression to create music that doesn't demand much from listeners.

Released October 5th, 2022 'Kae's Study' comes off the back of Kaestyle's delightful Drill single 'Moving Mad' which showcased the excelling elements of his music - catchy sound, relatable lyrics, and simplistic composition.

In his debut EP, Kaestyle explores simple subjects of love, confidence, and gratitude. He combines simple relatable lyrics yet is rich in nuance. A melody that sounds like a casual vocal stroll yet irresistibly intoxicating. A perfectly engineered beat with a simple and steady progression. And a relatable subject matters to create music that doesn't demand much from the listeners.

He explores the subject of love in the opening track 'Better' he fuses street famous lyrics such as "turning in its own" and "No be say I holy pass" while switching between English and Pidgin over a template R&B progression aided by simple chords to deliver a song made Afrobeats primarily by the lyrics and the delivery rather than the beat.

He celebrates his leaving the hood in the Pop record 'Blessings' with Omah Lay where he uses the quintessential 5-beat percussive progression blended with Highlife riffs to deliver a song that strives on the simplicity of the lyrics and the melodic allure. The sonic synergy with Omah Lay that the track exudes is a testament to the similarity in their sound. This is also displayed in 'True Love' featuring Victony where the simplicity of the beat provides similarity.

The street-savviness of his lyrics shone through the project. In 'Beauty and the Beast', he draws a reference to two irreconcilable characters with "Ashawo and the Priest" before proceeding to state that "the street is not smiling" in a bid to convey the reality of hustling to make ends meet in unforgivable streets of Nigeria. The Drill track 'Moving Mad' is also a testament to his versatility and the desire to make catchy music that resonates with a demographic that primarily comprises his age group.

There's no way a Port-Harcourt-born artist can resist the urge to infuse some philistinism into their music and the R&B 'Wiser' is a nod to the wild sexual awakening going on in the city. While thematically, the gratitude explored in 'Blessings' makes it a more appropriate closing track, the rhythm and tempo of 'Wiser' allow it to successfully fit the slot and closed the album as it started.

While the short length of the tracks can be considered a testament to the current hit trends in Afrobeats. The nature of Kaestyle's sound strives from short-length tracks that suck in listeners and makes them keep going over the songs.

Overall, 'Kae's Study' is a good project that strives on Kaestyle's ability to fuse different genres for a simple and digestible Afrobeats sound. And it holds up the psychological ideation that all things equal, the simple solution is most often the best.

Ratings: /10

• 0-1.9: Flop

• 2.0-3.9: Near fall

• 4.0-5.9: Average

• 6.0-7.9: Victory

• 8.0-10: Champion

Pulse Rating: /10

Album Sequencing: 1.6/2

Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.5/2

Production: 1.7/2

Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.6/2

Execution: 1.6/2