Oxlade is currently in a moment. A few years after “Ku Lo Sa” turned heads internationally, the Lagos-born crooner returned with Oxlade of Africa, an album that, while occasionally stumbling, still houses some gems. It’s a project that teeters between breakthrough brilliance and uneven execution; a body of work that flexes his range while occasionally leaning into familiar formulas. But in the midst of its peaks and valleys, “ASUNASA“ shines as a standout moment — a clever Afropop number where Oxlade locks in with a veteran: Wande Coal. 

From the first bass thrum, “ASUNASA” establishes itself as an easy-going, sun-soaked boppy anthem that begs for late nights, smooth moves, and deep conversations under Lagos skies. It hits all the right notes — vocally, lyrically, and thematically. Wande Coal brings a velvety ease to the record, freely offering his dizzying falsetto with precision and playfulness. His voice remains rich, elastic, and irresistible. There’s an almost effortless quality to his performance here, as he flirts with the rhythm. Oxlade manages to hold his own against a living legend, the vocal maestro who’s been a lodestar for many of Nigeria’s contemporary crooners.

“ASUNASA” wades through familiar waters of love and desire. Oxlade launches the track with the line, “Our love similar, oh my baby, she calling me criminal,” a deftly ironic juxtaposition that immediately sets the scene for a narrative where love and danger blur. The lyricism is layered with playful innuendo and sharp wit, expertly navigating the push-pull of romantic entanglements — whether through physical admiration (“Girl, you’re physically gifted”) or emotional vulnerability (“Baby, don’t you leave me dented”). Oxlade teeters on the knife-edge between surrendering to love’s intoxicating grip and maintaining a veneer of nonchalance, trying to maintain his cool, painting a portrait of a man ensnared yet resisting the fall.