Project Review: Pa Salieu Demonstrates True Artistry On ‘Afrikan Alien’

Pa Salieu is not interested in wasting time. After first gaining real recognition back in 2020 with modern classics ‘Frontline’ and ‘My Family’ with Backroad Gee, he continued this momentum with his ‘Send Them To Coventry’ project, announcing himself to a national stage with a stellar body of work and winning BBC Sound of 2021 in the process. However, any kind of linear progression crashed to a halt with an extended prison sentence following his involvement in a Glasgow nightclub brawl. Since his release in September, Pa has been on an incredible run that has culminated in his latest album, ‘Afrikan Alien’.

The titular track kicks off proceedings with rich production courtesy of WhyJay and LiTek, offering the perfect backdrop for Salieu to deliver one of his most thoughtful verses to date. While he ponders his place as an ‘Afrikan Alien’, having been born in Gambia and raised in Coventry, Black Sherif delivers a melodic chorus that effortlessly complements his counterpart.

The richness and depth of production is something that shines through as a whole, from the enticing bass riffs on ‘Regular’ to the stripped back guitar coupled with uptempo drum patterns on ‘Round & Round’. Salieu is able to tap into a variety of soundscapes and genres because of these instrumentals, allowing him to demonstrate his artistic versatility and execute the concept of the tape in style. This is best encapsulated by ‘Dece (Heavy)’, where Pa is able to merge strands of Grime and Afrobeat within a high octane cut that is demonstrative of both his musical and geographical journey.

What perhaps stands out most on this release in comparison to his other works is Salieu’s vocal range. When he raps, the depth and tone of his voice almost gives it a percussive quality, as evidenced on tracks like ‘Ya Zee’ and ‘Allergy’. Elsewhere though the artist has added more melody into his work than on previous projects, showcasing his smooth tones on ‘Round & Round’ as well as on the hook of ‘Belly’. There have been flashes of this in his previous works, but ‘Afrikan Alien’ as a whole is indicative of an artist who is developing in multiple facets of his musicality. 

This also means that the tape is less reliant on featured artists, with each guest appearance providing a smart contrast that helps break up the tape without cluttering it. Black Sherif and ODUMODUBLVCK in particular stand out here, with the latter adding a smart verse on the Amapiano infused ‘Big Smile’. 

The project is rounded out by the cinematic ‘YGF’, as Salieu delivers one of his best lyrical performances to date across orchestral strings provided by Show & Prove. In recent years It has become a cliché and reductive to the genre of Rap to claim that someone is not a rapper but an artist, yet Pa has proven himself to have many more strings to his bow as he stretched beyond the boundaries of UK Rap. ‘Afrikan Alien’ shows that he is a complete artist, from vocals to production all the way through to his striking cover art. This title also alludes to the fact that his music is beyond borders, and given his extended absence, Pa Salieu is wasting no time in his pursuit of global stardom. 

Star Rating: 4.5/5