Eyzondabeat sharpened old-school RnB hooks to implant in Pele, a lush afro-fusion earworm that moves with a temperate glow while carrying enough kinetic spark to keep you locked into the rhythmic complexity of his signature zonda beats. The paradox runs deep as the scintillating textures wash over you with catharsis, at the same time the rhythmic groove stirs something restless under the skin, and he rides that balance like no other. Even before the chorus settles in, there’s a sense of a producer-turned-visionary stepping into full command of his own sonic architecture.
Across his growing catalogue, he has become one of the most superlative fusionists of his generation, synthesising genres with an instinctive feel for emotional texture. Pele, translating from Yoruba into an expression of sympathy, lets those emotions run gorgeously deep without placing any weight on the production. Instead, the track floats at the epitome of sublimity, drifting between warmth, melancholy and sensuality with a confidence that’s way beyond bravado. His vocals are woven into the percussion as if they were born from the same breath, creating an atmosphere that brushes against the spiritual.
Behind this single sits a long evolution. Before stepping into the spotlight, Eyzondabeat cut his teeth behind the studio desk, engineering beats for underground artists before realising that his voice carried the same rhythmic impulse as his production. Years of consistency across tracks like Commando, Skelembe and Elo culminated in this more mature, expressive chapter.
Pele is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast