L.A.X’s fourth album Nobody Like Zaza is broadly divided into two, based on production. One half contains mainly mid-to-uptempo South African house beats differentiated by log drums, shakers, strings, a treated sample, and guest features. The second half is made up mostly of slow-to-mid-tempo beats that traverse R&B, revivalist highlife, and variations on the dembow beat—a dancehall rhythm that has similarities with, and an affinity to, Nigerian galala. L.A.X’s singing voice—husky, fújì-inspired—blurs this latticework of genres and elements in impressive fashion, carving out a recognizable identity in a talented music pool. In the first set, log drums energize any negative space unfilled by restless shakers, markedly on “Halelu,” interspaced across the track as counter rhythms, adding good grist to the mill. Niniola’s celestial voice (herself a house music stalwart) is complemented by L.A.X’s engaged singing. On “MVP”, the call-and-response refrain “Smoke some zaza” plays on L.A.X’s moniker (also referred to in the album title) and recreational drugs—a neat, personalized touch mined for musicality. This stylistic duality extends to his vocal performance, which is rooted in Yoruba root music. Drawing from fújì and jùjú, the Nigerian singer blends traditional ideas with elements of trap R&B on the low-to-midtempo songs. On “Dr. love”—his duet with Young Jonn—the lovesick singers pine for a cure, leaning on medical metaphors and the intentional use of Yoruba-accented overtures in standardized English. Sincerity and ulterior motives are indistinguishable in “Wanna be you.” L.A.X sings, “Attention when you’re coming through/Other girls wan be you,” to butter up a lover—but also set her against other women. It works well as an entry song, as well as a club record. On “35th floor,” another ode to a lover, L.A.X’s conviction is his winning ticket. What stands out is how he emotes, showing a clear commitment to the world-building of the song. It’s not just sung; it’s performed with feeling, and that performance deepens the emotional atmosphere that defines much of Nobody Like Zaza.