Burna Boy “Wonderful”

Last summer, Burna Boy dropped an album worth grooving to; this summer, the party continues with “Wonderful.” On the new loosie, Burna revels in the alchemy of rhythm and hustle. He’s mystified by what beats and drums can conjure, the way they spread joy and spark motion from your toes to your scalp. You won’t believe what can happen when the music catches you, he loosely says in Pidgin. From the song’s a capella start, Burna’s powerful harmonies swim between English and African languages. Simple percussion layers into a satisfying build, accentuated by whoops, rattles, glimmers, and twinkles of sound. He takes pride in making the kind of musical magic that stirs souls. You can’t say I’m lazy, he sings.

Right about now, Burna Boy was supposed to be wrapping the U.S. leg of a world tour; he would have been days away from rocking England’s Glastonbury Festival with his confident Afro-fusion anthems. Coronavirus may have stopped the shows, but the self-proclaimed “African Giant” is still celebrating.