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Tabula Rasa
Studio album by Brymo
Released	October 30, 2014
Recorded	2014
Genre	Afro-soul afrobeat R&B soul
Length	38:00
Language	English Nigerian Pidgin Yoruba
Label	Independent
Producer	Mikky Me Joses
Brymo chronology
Merchants, Dealers & Slaves (2013) Tabula Rasa (2014) Trance (2015)
Singles from Tabula Rasa
"Fe Mi" Released: September 18, 2014 "1 Pound" Released: March 06, 2015 "Ję Lé O Sinmi" Released: March 30, 2015

Tabula Rasa (Latin: Blank Slate) is the fourth studio album by Nigerian singer Brymo, independently released on October 30, 2014. It is the follow-up to his third studio album, Merchants, Dealers & Slaves (2013), and the second album released since the Federal High Court of Lagos lifted Chocolate City's injunction against him. The album's lyrical content explores the recurring theme of freedom. Tabula Rasa was supported the singles "Fe Mi", "1 Pound", and "Ję Lé O Sinmi". Critical reception to the album was overwhelmingly positive, with several critics characterizing it as a "must have for music lovers".

Background

Brymo started recording Tabula Rasa after releasing his third studio album, Merchants, Dealers & Slaves (2013). Sammy Sage Hasson was originally announced as the only artist that would be featured on the album. Brymo's manager, Lanre Lawal, told The Punch that Brymo was working on an album for 2014. Brymo decided to name the album Tabula Rasa after hearing the judge, who resided over the court injunction, use the term in a speech.

Composition

On the album's opener "Back to Love", Brymo expresses himself spiritually, emotionally and creatively. In "Fe Mi", he pleads for physical love; the song features a guitar riff and rhythmic claps. "Prick No Get Shoulder", a metaphor for enjoying life's pleasures with caution, depicts a condition of being. Music critic Michael Kolawole praised Brymo for "weaving and juxtaposing long-winded cautious narratives about self-responsibility on the track". In "Dear Child", Brymo narrates the fickleness of life and the unconditional love between a grandmother and her grandchild. "Ję Lé O Sinmi" (Yoruba: Kindergarten) is a memoir of Brymo's past as an innocent child in the daycare to that of a mature man. "Alone" is a spoken word track about discovering one's self.

"Never Look Back" is a compelling charge to owning up and taking responsibility. In "Jungle Fever", Brymo sings about the unrest of the populace; the latter part of the song is a metaphor for being angry at the status quo. "1 Pound" is an Afrobeat song with trademark horns and meandering guitar licks. "Again" is a song about starting love all over again; it is composed of grand drums and a choir-like hum.

Singles

"Fe Mi" was released as the album's lead single on September 18, 2014. Ayo Onikoyi of Vanguard describes the song as "a soft traditional ballad". March 6, 2015 saw the premiere of the music video for "1 Pound", the album's second single. The documentary-style video for the song was directed by St. Immaculate, and its teaser was made available on March 2. Brymo premiered the video on Pulse Nigeria and said the song is about informing people about local and international currencies. On March 30, 2015, he released the Godson KC Uma-directed music video for the album's third single "Ję Lé O Sinmi".

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
NotJustOk	10/10
Jaguda	9/10
Pulse Nigeria
TooXclusive

Tabula Rasa received positive critical acclaim from music critics. Tola Sarumi of NotJustOk gave the album a perfect rating of 10/10, praising Brymo's delivery and performance. Jim Donnett granted the album 4.5 stars out of 5, describing it as a "brilliant compositional effort made to evoke one's senses." Ayomide Tayo of Pulse Nigeria awarded the album 4.5 stars out of 5, commending its quality, production and sound.

A writer for TayoTV commented on the album, stating, "his songs may not focus as much on partying, women, and drinking, but as times change so does music. He is still having fun, whether singing a ballad, doing spoken words, or just letting everyone know how much ass he kicks". The duo at Should You Bump This said Tabula Rasa is a "must have for music lovers worldwide" and opined that Brymo is "hands down the best male artiste in Nigeria." A writer for the music blog Jaguda awarded the album a score of 9 out of 10, describing it as "a genuine gift to all lovers of good music."

Track listing

All tracks are written by Olawale Ashimi and produced by Mikky Me Joses

Release history

References

1. "Tabula Rasa by Brymo". iTunes. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
2. "Brymo back in the studio for Tabula Rasa". The Sun. 8 June 2014. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
3. Ononilua, Ademola (4 October 2014). "Brymo set to release album". Punch. Archived from the original on 4 October 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
4. Adeniyi, Adewoyin (25 September 2014). "Brymo set to drop fourth album". The Nation. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
5. Michael Kolawole (April 1, 2020). "The Righteous Profanity of Brymo". Culture Custodian. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
6. ^ Tayo, Ayomide (10 November 2014). "BrymO - Tabula Rasa". Pulse. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
7. ^ Sarumi, Tola (17 November 2014). "Album Review: BrymO – Tabula Rasa". NotjustOK. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
8. ^ Donnett, Jim (19 November 2014). "ALBUM REVIEW: Brymo – Tabula Rasa". Tooxclusive. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
9. "Brymo – Fe Mi". NotjustOk. 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
10. Onikoyi, Ayo (27 September 2014). "Brymo returns with Femi". Vanguard. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
11. "Brymo releases trailer for latest music video". News 24. 6 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
12. "New Video: Brymo – Ję Lé O Sinmi". Bella Naija. 1 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
13. ^ "Album Review: Brymo – Tabula Rasa". Jaguda. 5 November 2014. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
14. "ALBUM REVIEW: BrymO – Tabula Rasa". Tayo TV. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
15. "Should You Bump This – Music Review: Brymo – Tabula Rasa". Bellanaija. 7 November 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2015.

• 2014 albums
• Brymo albums
• Yoruba-language albums