By Tela Wangeci
Music consumption has evolved over the years creating space for new and old genres to co-exist, borrow from each other and eventually have a definitive ground and fans at large. This has also reflected in artistry as a form of creative consumption, we are having a rise of polymath creatives and DJ Mura K.E and Big Nyagz are trailing no further from these path. Being music curators, DJ’s and producers, they have been able to use their craft in communicating through music. While to some they may be new names, both parties have been making subtle noise in the Afro-House scene most recently with their release that have a wave of dopamine.
The duo started off the year with the release of “Rejea” featuring Coster Ojwang and YAH LISTEN. The single is a masterpiece fusion that creates a transcendence that is both deeply soulful and energizing. Hinting at the release of a collaborative project the duo teased their fans with the sonic masterpiece “Running‘” featuring songbird N’Jiru. Her tone smooth and thick wrapped around the music like a warm embrace. The bridge is reminiscent to the myths of the siren as N’Jiru’s vocals enchant you into a a chant rising from pure expression.
The two singles formed the backdrop for DJ Mura K.E and Big Nyagz’s collaborative project ‘Likizo’ that was received with enthusiastic acclaims from fans of Afro-House and music at large. Deeply rooted in lush production, ‘Likizo’ takes its listeners through a musical journey that blends Afro-House dynamic groove with experimental textures. From the first spin, “Likizo” hooks you with vibrant percussion, low-end thumps, and swirls of synth that oscillate between tension and release. While mostly instrumental in feel, moments of vocal texture from a stellar line up of vocalists Liboi, YAH LISTEN, Udulele, N’Jiru, MURUNGI and Cucu Wakomu, infuse brief yet ceramic vocal refrains and spoken-word snippets that evoke the daily urban hustle and cultural dialects of Nairobi. The interplay of local vernacular and rhythmic repetition gives the album an unmistakable identity.
Tracks like the title track “Likizo” (feat. Liboi & YAH LISTEN) opens the project on a spiritual and percussive high and doesn’t immediately rush to deliver its rhythm instead, it builds with shimmering keys, layered shakers, and atmospheric pads. Liboi’s airy vocals weave in like sunlight through blinds, while YAH LISTEN delivers a grounding presence that adds a meditative call-and-response dynamic. The production is deliberate, exhaling like someone finally stepping away from work and into rest. It’s less of a party-starter and more of a sonic permission slip. If “Likizo” is the welcome mat, then “Tucheze” kicks the shoes off and heads straight for the dancefloor. Udulele delivers a performance brimming with joy and playful cadence, seamlessly riding Mura and Big Nyagz’s Afro-house beat. There’s bounce, there’s flirtation, and most importantly, there’s movement. A shift in tone emerges in “Nawe” leans into sensuality and intimacy, driven by Muringi’s velvet-smooth vocals and sparse, patient production. DJ Mura K.E and Big Nyagz pull back on the percussion, allowing synth waves and light bass pulses to carry the emotional weight. MURINGI matches the vulnerability with lyrical restraint, letting the mood speak volumes. It’s a moment of calm longing, like a late-night call or an unfinished love letter, floating on Nairobi’s warm night air.
“Rejea-Instrumental” is basically “Rejea” stripped of vocals, and this version lets the production breathe in full. It’s an affirmation of Mura and Big Nyagz’s subtle brilliance as producers. The textures are layered yet spacious which allow for introspection. Without lyrics, the melodies take center stage, evoking a quiet power. I would equate it to a soundtrack to ancestral dreaming, giving space for listeners to insert their own stories, memories, and interpretations. A contemplative midpoint. The album closes with a track that feels ancestral and intimate. “Tough Love” features Cucu Wakomu in what is an oral tradition format conversation layered atop minimalist production. It’s deeply grounded in familial memory, as though your grandmother is giving you parting wisdom before you walk out the door. The beat is skeletal, almost a heartbeat. It’s a fitting close to a project that gently balances tenderness and tempo, emotion and experimentation.
As a full-length album, Likizo thrives in its unexpected turns sinuous rhythms, cryptic vocal refrains, deliberate pulses. That exploratory spirit not only defines its sonic world but reflects a wider evolution within Kenya’s creative scene. Likizo is deceptively soft-spoken, it doesn’t demand attention through volume or flash instead the album delivers a rare, immersive experience.
Stream ‘Likizo’