Nigerian music producer Oghenetega Ofomola, professionally known as Tegus, explores electronic music, jazz and house influences on his three-track project, Ritma. The project contains “Dance,” “Benin” and “Africana,” three instrumentals that combine relaxing melodies with rhythms that can still get you moving.
“Dance” opens the project with an electronic beat accompanied by some lovely jazz-inspired piano melodies. I particularly enjoyed the piano on this track and how it moves with the rhythm. There is something interesting about combining electronic music with jazz because you get the steady beat associated with dance music while still enjoying the freedom of the piano melodies.
The piano is what holds my attention on “Dance.” It softens the electronic rhythm without slowing the track down.
“Benin” follows with a more upbeat house sound. It has more drive than “Dance,” but it still feels fairly laid-back.
I can imagine a DJ slipping it between heavier records to change the pace, rather than using it as the big moment of a set.
“Africana” closes the EP with a mix of Afro-house and lo-fi. The beat is steady, but the production is less busy than the other two tracks.
Of the three, this is probably the one I would put on at the end of a long day.
What I like about Ritma is that Tegus manages to make electronic and house music without relying entirely on heavy drums or aggressive beats. The piano melodies on “Dance” were a particular highlight, while “Benin” and “Africana” show his ability to create enjoyable grooves at different levels of energy.
“Dance” is still my favourite, mainly because of the piano melodies. “Benin” and “Africana” are enjoyable too, but they don’t hold my attention in quite the same way.
