Last year, we saw an R&B revival of sorts in the South African music industry with artists, such as Sandrahhh, Roho and Filah Lah Lah, bringing us a new twist to the genre that has gone through quite the evolution.
Another artist who added greatly to South African R&B last year was 26-year-old Pretoria-born-and-raised artist Ndumiso Phiri, more affectionately known as Tron Pyre. It seems he has done it again with yet another banger of a release, with his new album called It’s Not a Mistake.
Indeed, it isn’t a mistake as this album marks another one of Phiri’s unrivalled artistic ventures. Fit with seven glorious songs, It’s Not a Mistake tells the story of an artist who continues to grow with every release, and even features his smash hit Radisson.
In a 2021 interview with City Press, Phiri commented on his previous album saying:
“I treat sound like a playground. I am always trying to see what I can get away with while preserving the integrity of the art and making sense of the times.
What I have managed to do with my music is something I think will be studied years from now. I think we found a way to introduce new ideas in a way that feels familiar, so people buy into it as a result because it doesn’t hurt to listen to.
The same can be said for It’s Not a Mistake, which is reminiscent of international artists, such as PartyNextDoor at the height of the alt R&B evolution between the early and mid-2010s.
After starting his journey on the music streaming app SoundCloud, no one could have predicted the growth we would hear on It’s Not a Mistake in 2022.
The project starts with a little gem called Hi, It’s Me Again. The three-minute song encompasses the different ways Phiri has been growing and pushing his boundaries. While the tune may not be as catchy as some of the other songs on the project, it is a mixed bag of different sounds and melodies that show a different and very welcoming side to Phiri.
The project then moves onto Almeda/ For All I Know, which follows some very classic R&B tropes within the melody, a killer saxophone riff that gives the song an edge and is even fit with the notorious voicemail/voiceover, which has become a very popular way for R&B artists to get their songs’ message across.
As the project progresses, we are reminded why we should hold artists to high standards no matter what their genres are. Phiri has become quite talented at homing in on what his technical talents are, and this time around, his runs and vocal riffs seem to be cleaner, more precise and intentionally placed, creating a solid project that is on par with some of our country’s most popular musical talents.
With so many things right about the project, it’s hard to see some of the holes that it may have. While Phiri is growing more with every release, sometimes, it can feel like the pacing of his projects may be a little off. And while for some, this may not be a concern, for those who gravitate towards high-tempo songs, a project that asks the listener to be intentional about every time they listen to it may make it a listen that would be best enjoyed at different intervals of the day.
Phiri is a talent who doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon, and what stands out the most about him is his ability to sit beautifully in the middle of mainstream and alternative, making him the people’s person.
