Synonymous with positivity and mindfulness, Lagos’ Tim Lyre makes music accessible for lovers of all genres, and his newest EP, MASTA, is no exception. The project, produced by Tim and Code6, was designed to connect with people universally, “I believe we mostly experience the same emotions as we go through our human lives no matter how different the circumstances may be, and so I have this urge to represent this in my music so it can connect with whoever it needs to wherever they may be.“
Exploring elements of Hip-hop, Dancehall, Amapiano, R&B, and Afrobeats through his afro-futurist lens in one perfectly curated 8-track EP, when asked about his creative approach, Tim affirms, “I feel like Afrobeats are embedded into my consciousness already, but I’m always listening to other genres so naturally I decided to play around and see what works.“
A testament to Tim’s global musical journey, MASTA was crafted between Lagos and London. Having spent the last year travelling the world and collaborating with musicians globally, fuelled by a desire to transcend borders, Tim reflects on the impact it had on MASTA, saying, “It’s been awesome, these are some of my favourite artists to listen to as well, and they’re all so good at what they do already, and so I think that just encapsulates the energy of the project perfectly.“
Working with the likes of Prettyboy DO, Lex Amor, MOJO AF, and Lady Donli. Jords, who features on MASTA’s namesake track, is Lyre’s newest edition to the list and resulted from a chance meeting at a Sute Iwar show in London. Tim shares, “I’d been a fan of Jords for a while, and when we linked in the studio, and I played this for him, it went down pretty quickly. I just got to enjoy the process of working with him.“
The music video, directed by Fhuad Braimoh, captures the essence of South London, paying homage to the city that brought Tim and Jords together. Lyre, sharing his excitement about the collaboration, emphasized the significance of MASTA in his musical journey “It’s about believing in yourself absolutely, and there’s no one better to do this with than Jords. I’m glad we’ve got the video to match the energy.“
Exploring themes of self-worth, confidence, and positive energy throughout the EP, Tim highlights that each track, from ‘Why Evils’ (intended to ward off bad energy) to ‘Chasing Wind,’ echoes these messages, aiming to inspire a better feeling within his audience making MASTA exactly what we need to get through a long London winter. “I try to make sure it sounds good but most importantly, feels good.“
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Words: Lorna May