Duplicity – the quality of being double in action or being two-faced – this explication shows in simple words the experience embedded in Boj’s most recent album. Duplicity, the sixth studio album of one of the forerunners of Nigeria’s “alte” movement, Boj, dropped on the 5th of December, 2025. So far, it has been days of constant rinse of this highly anticipated body of work. His previous album 12 Summers is an underrated masterpiece, so far, one of the best albums of 2024.
A few hours after midnight when the album dropped, some faint thoughts swept through my mind just as I was about to hit play for the first time – “I hope this one hits just as hard as 12 Summers”. At the end of my first-three listens, I had lived three cycles of musical synergy.
Firstly, before the album dropped, four singles off it were released. These lead singles – Shana with SDC & Joey B, After Hours with Anais Cardot, Diamonds with Mavo, and Contraband with Olamide – were all different feels, strategically preparing you for the encompassing themes to be experienced with the full album.
The entire album was centered around a contrast, as one track sings about being a “big spender”, the next track feeds into his lover boy storytelling, making the journey through the album feel like a wave of multiple emotions and the tracks were positioned tactically to yield this result.
Some musicians may take pride in delivering solo singles or albums but Boj’s pride is letting his artistry shine through collaborations. He reveals in an interview with Deeds Magazine that this project features the fewest collaborations of any he has released so far. The guest appearances on the project were all instrumental in shaping the album’s sonic quality. Some unforgettable guest verses included Olamide’s feature on Contraband and Obongjayar on Imposter Syndrome.
The composition of the tracks was quite orthodox. Versatile, but not unconventional. Every artist brought their style and their novelty but the end result this time did not drive far away from contemporary afrobeats. This is in no case a minus, but a worthy observation. Mainstream afrobeats can be tagged alternative depending on the artist, subject to correction.
Boj is an artist whose originality squeezes through every aspect of his works. The album begins on a captivating note which makes it quite impossible to leave before hitting the last track. In the same vein, the first track Awon Boyz deserved a better spot right before the peak of the album’s flow following the contrast of the themes and emotions.
13 tracks with good mid tempo flows, the thirty-two minutes play time passes by in seconds and you have to replay to relive the momentary bliss. The sonic cohesion perfectly guides you from track to track, the transitions start to hit mid-album.
Duplicity was a well curated sonic experience. From its theme to the strengths in the collaborations and Boj’s originality, for any long time fan of Boj, this is another enjoyable album. Due to its replay value, the album hits a good 7.5/10. This may not be the criteria for a groundbreaking project for the culture, but for fans, it is an album that’s worth going back to.
