By Emmanuel Esomnofu
Praise comes in many forms. Sometimes, it’s reflective, inspiring a melancholic style of worship, the stuff of waved hands and brooding facial expression. But praise, too, can be joyous—it can have a vibrant drum base, with themes which reflect positivity and never-ending trust in the workings of God’s hand.
“Look At Me,” the record from Laolu Gbenjo, falls into the second category of praise songs. It is intense and beautifully-arranged, moving along to a progressive pace that eventually rewards the listener. Embracing a conversational hue, the songwriting comes across like an affectionate letter to an old friend, even as Laolu infuses a hearty feeling.
In the early parts of the record, one hears these influences in all their intimacy and charged atmosphere. Indeed, he starts off by recognizing the purposefulness of the relationship with Jesus, a thematic cornerstone of gospel he shines a new light on.
“See my life, see my God, see the love, see the joy,” he repeats twice in the opening lyric, while the drums—which carry a peculiar Nigerian tone—the drums build around this joy-drenched voice. And the voice becomes even more joyous as the record progresses, bringing more narrative into the colorful sonic palette.
The aforementioned Nigerian tone in this record comes, not only from its drums, but also the melody of the guitar, a liquid sensation that moves through the beat. Perhaps it sounds like highlife, but the bawdy motions of those grooves are replaced here with a striking purity of spirit, freewheeling and inspired by the deepest kind of love.
As a longtime practitioner of gospel music, Laolu Gbenjo prizes innovation and authenticity. Leading a band has contributed to this discipline, and it shows everytime he creates music. “Look At Me” definitely benefits from that hard-won experience, and through unique sonic choices, it comes out of the creative process with deep impressions, a feeling, a mark of its great accomplishment in its praise of the greatest force ever known to the universe and beyond.
Here praise is the vision, but in its execution, movement happens.
