Only a few figures have held the dual role of cultural curator and hitmaker as firmly as SPINALL. He is here again with his compilation of artists for a project that defines the moment. His seventh studio project, Èkó Groove, arrives as both a celebration and a statement, an immersive soundscape that captures the pulse of Lagos while extending its influence across the world.

The title itself is a nod to “Èkó,” the Yoruba name for Lagos, and it sets the tone for what the album seeks to achieve: an exploration of the city’s heartbeat through rhythm, energy, and spirit. Lagos is not just a setting here; it is the essence. Its chaos, color, and contradictions flow into every track, from the nostalgic opener sampling juju pioneer Ayinde Bakare to the star-studded features that bring in voices from Nigeria, Jamaica, South Africa, the UK, and the United States.

The album opens with the eponymous track, Èkó Groove, his reinterpretation of Ayinde Bakare’s record, which serves as the inspiration for the entire album. The track is a mirror of the word groove, a record that perfectly matches the essence of Lagos—the beaches, hustle and bustle, and what not. The single perfectly flows into the next record, WANT YOU, another groove where we are reminded by JayO why he’s one of the most exciting talents out there, gliding through the groovy beat. Perfectly contrasting is Destin Conrad as they deliver a near-perfect record.

The pace of the album is picked up on EARLY with Victony; the scene shifts from these serene marine or beach settings to another setting typical of Lagos life—a party scene. The Afro-electric beat is perfect for Victony to deliver a record fit for a rave. The rave is short-lived, as the next track is a reggae-infused record with a very insane lineup: Summer Walker, Buju Banton & Jaz Karis.

Another part of Lagos reflects—the struggles—and what better genre for this than one that directly connects to the soul.

We return to what Èkó Groove gave us at the beginning, a feel-good highlife track with ShineTTW and DarkoVibes; this record is soothing and smooth. Tay Iwar takes hold of the next record, giving the dance beat a perfect hold. FORWARD takes the dance groove of the album even further. WAITING gives similar dance vibes but more of a disco feel, sparking dance moves even further. Taves and JayO did justice to maintaining the tempo of this record. Young Jonn on KEROSENE makes the dance tempo go on a three-track run.

Surprisingly, Afro-amapiano does not come on Young Jonn’s record, but on Wizkid’s LOJU, introducing the already familiar log drums to the album. Niniola maintains the tempo on EXCITED, accompanied by Ami Faku, with production work supplemented by Heavy-K. We get a rich, sumptuous beat that ignites a good feel.

MIAMI starts with familiar Chinese flutes, then sharply shifts to amapiano. Olamide, as he does mainly at this point, does not rap but delivers superb verses and even a chorus, laying it up for T.I. to deliver his 16. Omah Lay brings us on an ethereal journey with the previously released single that fits snug in the album. He takes the album even further with his performance on ONE CALL, leaving an easy job to Tyla, who also delivers with her pop prowess. Marumba Pitch, along with Tony Duardo, delivers a record with mellow amapiano.

The album closes with Teni and amapiano again, like closing with a party. The album is like a party benediction in all senses—PSALM 23—and a party closing at that.

The album was well crafted, composed with Lagos in mind. Each collaboration feels intentional, curated to reflect the global reach of African music while remaining grounded in Lagos’ groove.

At 14 tracks and just under 50 minutes, Èkó Groove is an expansive yet cohesive project. It blends Afrobeats with amapiano, Afro-house, reggae, R&B, and hip-hop, refusing to be boxed into a single sound. SPINALL positions himself not just as a DJ spinning the culture but as an architect shaping its direction, linking generations, bridging genres, and reminding listeners of Lagos’ central role in the Afrobeats story.

A very enjoyable project.