Nigerian-born Azekel drops Sonic Incense EP

The smooth six-track offering, released via Thunderlightning Recordings, was heralded by the tempting, Falana-assisted ‘Love Potion’.

Sonically, the project blends soulful melodies with a contemporary edge and explores various facets of love, with ‘Same Wayz’ as the focus track.

Behind other collections like Circa, Raw, Vol. 1, Raw, Vol. 2, and Analyze Love, Azekel’s craft is characterised by a soulful R&B fusion and deep-rooted connection to both his Nigerian heritage and the eclectic sounds of East London.

Speaking to Africa Folder recently about his creative process and experience with collaboration in music production, Azekel said: “Lately, I have worked with amazing producers from around the world. I have worked with producers from Accra and London. That’s the beauty of collaboration [because] I feel like everyone brings a different energy. I love my earlier work because I self-produced a lot of it. I even mixed and mastered too. I did everything on a lot of my early stuff [so] I wanted to try something different and got other musicians on board.

“I just learned how amazing the spirit flows when there are other people in the room, you know, other people bringing such positive vibes and great energy, different worlds, you know. So I like the collaboration. I like working with good people… a lot of it has been organic.”

In related news, in August, Azekel was named among the recipients of the Step Up Fund, a financial initiative launched in 2022 by The Featured Artists Coalition and Amazon Music to support UK-based emerging independent artists overcome financial and structural challenges. The fund provides grants for music-related activities such as recording, marketing, and touring. Azekel, known for collaborations with Massive Attack and Gorillaz, received funding, mentorship, and opportunities for content creation.