Today, London-based Nigerian  artist  Obongjayar  releases his highly anticipated debut album Some Nights I Dream Of Doors via September Recordings. LISTEN HERE + WATCH HERE.

Across its twelve tracks, he skillfully navigates through rich soundscapes and subcultures while navigating a wealth of personal and political topics. With time being a central theme of the album we find an artist reflecting on his journey so far, crafting multidimensional sounds that fall between the cracks of a multitude of genres.

Speaking about the album’s inception Obongjayar writes: “This album dives into the idea of opportunity and tries to explore what that means, what lies behind those doors, and asks if we’re ready for it. The pursuit of success, what happens when you achieve it, and what happens if you don’t?  What does success mean? The head, the body, and the end of a dream. Opportunity is looking forward, and in that lies the question of time. What is your place in it? To know the future, or to fully be aware of your present, you need to analyse and understand your past. It’s an endless loop that continuously piles on itself.”

In the lead up to the release of the ‘Some Nights I Dream of Doors’, last week saw the release of an intimate session version of ‘I Wish It Was Me’ performed to Obongjayar’s family members in his family home. In the heartfelt clip, we see his sister, brother and mother react to a stripped-down rendition of that album track that demonstrates the carefree, warming sound their son/sibling has been perfecting since moving to London. We also get a glimpse of a recent trip to Nigeria in the visualiser of one of the highlights of the album, ‘Wrong For It’ featuring acclaimed London saxophonist Nubya Garcia.  

Having garnered attention throughout 2021 by drip-feeding music in the shape of singles ‘Message In A Hammer’, ‘Try’, and last month’s ‘Tinko Tinko (Don’t Play Me For A Fool)’ as well as show-stopping collaborations with Little Simz on the track ‘Point and Kill‘, Pa Salieu on ‘Style & Fashion‘ and a full EP with influential Nigerian producer Sarz entitled ‘Sweetness‘ – it’s hard to believe that Obongjayar is only just releasing his full-length album. In the years that have passed since he released his first single, his music still defies easy categorization. His musical palette is expansive, with a nod to the rich musical textures of his Nigerian roots, he adds a multitude of influences and on Some Nights I Dream Of Doors his sound is more potent than ever. Recorded over 12 months with producer Barney Lister (and from J Rick on ‘All The Difference’), he’s created an album that transcends its influence, creating an innovative and fresh body of work that is ready to define 2022. 

Later this year, Obongjayar will take his incendiary live performance to stages across the UK and Europe, following on from his support of Little Simz’ tour that closed 2021. Tickets and more information can be found HERE.