Review of Dice Ailes 'Ladies First' EP

When Dice Ailes first surfaced in the Nigerian music industry, his distinct melody and calm flow were different from what most listeners were used to. Dice Ailes brought a pop element into Afrobeats at a time when the industry was dominated by catchy beats and spicy attention-grabbing lyrics (Lamba).

With time, Dice Ailes's style caught on and it's now amongst the most popular Afrobeats style. However, the man who played a major part in creating the sound got little or no recognition.

The release of his long-overdue debut EP serves as a reminder of Dice Ailes's pioneering contributions to Afropop.

'Ladies First' is an EP inspired by Dice Ailes's love and admiration for women as well as his many experiences with them. In the EP, Dice displays vulnerability, his ability to accentuate the beat with his distinct melody, and his ability to convey the fragile matters of the heart in a relatable and enjoyable manner.

In 'Leftside,' Dice Ailes flows steadily while switching between melodic rap and pop style. Made for the Ladies, Dice discusses his different connections and feelings for women beginning with a casual playboy approach.

In 'Pim Pim' featuring Olamide, Dice experimented with Spanish and it was good. Dice successfully recreates this in 'Rosalia' which is another wonderful song. The melodic sequence, interpolation of Spanish, and the blend of strings, horns, and piano to create a Latino sound make it a perfect song. Kaydy Cain contributes to the perfection of this song with a harmonious verse.

In 'Monica,' Dice shares his desire for a woman who matches his calmness and easy approach to life. And when he finds her he can give her all he has. In between the track, Dice switches style and sings out the rest of the song in what is a blatant showing-off of his ability to aesthetically mold melody in a stunning manner.

In 'Zombie' and 'Pray as You Go,' Dice explores vulnerability as he touches on the familiar subject of the helplessness that accompanies being a hopeless romantic. Dice displayed top writing and deft melodic command. Dice's ability to seamlessly move from verses to chorus further increases the appeal of both songs.

'Hold Me' featuring Tiwa Savage is a quintessential Dice Ailes song. From the writing to the delivery and the arrangement, the song is a summary of Dice's talent. Tiwa Savage's vocal adds an indescribable beauty to this single in a manner that the vocals and melody thoroughly outshine the beat.

In a year where the music industry is set to receive countless albums and EPs, Dice Ailes' 'Ladies First,' might have what it takes to make the end of the year list for best EPs.

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Final Thoughts

Dice Ailes as it and he has never lost it. 'Ladies First' EP is a reminder of his talent to all those who might have forgotten what he's capable of.

The track arrangement couldn't have been better. The first two tracks 'Leftside' and 'Rosalia' displays Dice's playboy side. The third and fourth tracks 'Monica' and 'Zombie' captures his lover boy side. In the fifth track 'Pray as You Go,' Dice shows some vulnerability of heartbreak. And he closes the EP with 'Hold Me,' with which he reminds himself and the listeners that in spite of it all, he's still a lady's man.

The production is calm and subtle, and the beats are perfectly tailored to the singles. The EP's sound engineering and mixing are also faultless.

'Ladies First' is artistic excellence.

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: 1.8/2

Songwriting, Themes, and Delivery: 1.7/2

Production: 1.6/2