The long-awaited full-length debut from Uwade has arrived, and it honors her family and Nigerian heritage through lyrics, melody, and harmony alike. Uwade explores themes of self-reflection, rebirth, and her journey through grief on the newly released Florilegium.

The album opens with just Uwade’s vocals, a lead supported by extensive harmony vocals. It is no surprise to learn that she has a background in choir, as these meticulously arranged vocals continue throughout the record, even in moments where they become call-and-response, as on “Harmattan.” Uwade’s lead vocal sits softly on top of the music beneath her, and the instrumentation always allows enough room for her expansive and emotive delivery of her lyrics.

The songs on Florilegium are all strongly rooted in their grooves, even the slow ballads. This subtle rhythmic throughline enables Uwade to transition seamlessly into and between multiple genres. “Eventime” begins with just voice and piano but opens up into a smooth R&B ballad. “(I Wonder) What We’re Made Of” borders on country, slide guitar melodies intertwining with the lead vocal. She even strays away from live instrumentation on drum machine-propelled “Clearer Through You,” which borrows sounds from ‘80s synth pop.

Uwade has mentioned being inspired by West African grooves, which are evident throughout the entire album. Even on pop songs like “Call It A Draw,” the drum pattern is an afrobeat playing beneath a pop/folk-style arrangement. On “Harmattan,” Uwade used videos of an Esan dance masquerade called Egbabonelimhin, which was performed during her father’s burial, as a reference for the percussion solo. Connecting to her grief at her father’s passing through not just lyric but also rhythm adds another dimension of storytelling and subconsciously connects the listener deeper into the music.

Uwade keeps her lyrics mysterious while still interweaving specific pieces of her past, allowing listeners to insert their own lived experiences. She uses the Harmattan, which is a dry, seasonal wind that blows through her home country, as an extended metaphor in a chorus about sticking together when times get tough and doubts about being remembered after the dust settles. She even gives us a taste of pop, with the rhythmic repeating hooks of “(I Wonder) What We’re Made Of” and “Call It A Draw.” Her melodies are sophisticated yet singable, and stick with the listener long after the song ends.

The only thing that distracts from the beautiful harmonic and lyrical storytelling on Florilegium is the mix itself. Due to the complex instrumental arrangmenets, some elements end up poking out more than they should, for example the boomy bass throughout “(I Wonder) What We’re Made Of)” and some of the percussion elements on “Harmattan” and “Amenaghawon.” However, this isn’t a dealbreaker for the listener, only an area that will improve as Uwade spends more time in the studio on future projects.

This project feels personal and heartfelt, and is a beautiful, self-reflective piece from Uwade. From the spoken outro from her mother on “Amenaghawon” to the motifs that tie back to her father’s passing and funeral, the listener is drawn in by the vulnerability she conveys. It feels like a privilege to be let into her musical mind for the 9 track, 33-minute experience.