Khaliberry Review: Does Journey Through Sound Live Up to Its Name?
There is something ambitious about naming a project Journey Through Sound.
The title suggests movement, discovery, and sonic range. Alfa Calistus, the artist behind the sound, positions the project as a blend of Afrobeats, soul, and contemporary urban sounds that reflect personal growth, ambition, and the daily grind of Nigeria’s creative scene.
In practice, Journey Through Sound feels firmly rooted in a familiar corner of contemporary Nigerian music. If this EP were a physical place, it would not transport listeners across continents or cultures. It would probably take them across Lagos—from one side of the city to another—with the windows down and enough traffic to make a good soundtrack feel essential.
That is not necessarily a bad thing.
The project opens with “Big Energy,” a track that immediately lives up to its name. Built on infectious rhythms and easy-going confidence, it carries the kind of energy that gets heads nodding and feet tapping almost instantly. One standout lyric, “Pray for my enemies because if I no be me I go jealous me,” captures the self-assured spirit that runs through the record.
“Big Energy” may not reinvent the wheel, but it understands exactly what it wants to do. It wants listeners to feel good, and it succeeds.
Midway through the project, the third track “Nice To Know” introduces VJ Skinny. He brings a raw, brash cadence that immediately shifts the temperature. There is a brash, energetic quality to his delivery that recalls the disruptive presence artists like ODUMODUBLVCK often bring to a song. The feature cuts through the EP’s smoothness and delivers one of its most striking moments.
For a body of work called Journey Through Sound, the listening experience does not tally. While the songs differ in cadence and energy, they largely operate within a similar sonic framework.
This restraint is not necessarily a flaw in execution. Khaliberry clearly knows how to write and arrange songs that connect quickly. The hooks land, the features serve their purpose, and the closer leaves a positive impression. For listeners seeking straightforward, feel-good Afrobeats with occasional lyrical bite, the EP delivers. The problem surfaces when measured against the stated ambition. More deliberate genre-hopping, stranger production choices, or riskier vocal experiments would have strengthened the central concept rather than leaving it as an unfulfilled tease.
On that note, the fifth and last track titled Give Am Chance comes closest to fulfilling the project’s premise. Trumpets weave through the production while chants of “Give Am Chance” inject personality and texture into the arrangement. The result feels vibrant, communal, and distinctly rooted in Nigerian musical traditions. At different moments, the track evokes the playful theatricality associated with Lagbaja while maintaining its own identity.
More importantly, it offers a glimpse of what a more expansive version of Journey Through Sound might have sounded like. The willingness to experiment with instrumentation and atmosphere creates one of the EP’s most compelling moments.
While this EP may not fully deliver the sonic exploration implied by its name, it succeeds as a concise collection of songs suited for everyday listening.
By the time the project ends, it leaves behind a feeling that is both complimentary and critical. The EP’s strongest moments suggest an artist capable of exploring much wider terrain than he currently does.
For now, Journey Through Sound feels less like a grand expedition and more like a promising first stop. The destination may not be as far-reaching as its title suggests, but the journey is still worth taking:
