BNXN’s Captain Album Review: Hit or Miss?

The album is polished but predictable

BNXN’s Captain Album Review: Hit or Miss?

The album is polished but predictable

Music
July 7, 2025
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When BNXN announced Captain, I won’t lie, I was hyped. The title alone felt loaded. Captain of what? His sound? His story? His place in the industry? Now that I’ve sat with the album, let it play in the background, and the dust has sort of settled, here’s how I feel.

Captain is a mood. A steady, smooth ride. It's the kind of album you play on loop without skipping much, not because every song slaps, but because nothing offends. It’s clean, soft, warm Afropop with a familiar soul. It feels like BNXN made this in his comfort zone, and to be fair, there’s a certain confidence in that. The production is polished. His vocals are syrupy as ever. But does he take risks? Not really.

The album opens with “I Alone”, and I liked the honesty. It's that classic album intro that’s reflective and gentle. “Set Up” with Seyi Vibez carries good energy, and you can tell the chemistry’s organic, but it doesn’t fully stick for me. “Cutesy”, though? That’s still a win. I already broke that down in my earlier review here, and the sentiment stands. That track is short, sexy, confident, and exactly the lane BNXN knows how to own.

“Jies” and “Yes Sir” kind of just passed me by. Not bad, just didn’t pull me in. But then “Very Soon” with FOLA came in perfectly. FOLA’s voice is a beautiful contrast, and together they create this delicate back-and-forth that sounds like a conversation between two hopeless romantics.

Now “Eleyi” and “Phenomena" gave me a bit more edge. I respect when BNXN taps into that proud Yoruba boy energy. In Captain, when he starts reeling off numbers and “I’ve been him” persona, it feels like a moment. Still laidback, but there’s a little grit. And “Fi Kan We Kan” with Rema? Fire!!!! The song has been out for quite a while, but it still remains one of my favourite songs of the year. The tempo shift, bounce, Rema’s crazy entrance. Their chemistry is playful, and you can tell they had fun with it.

“Totori” draws from ID Cabasa’s classic with a nostalgic twist, and is quite melodic, making it a nice, laid-back track for driving or chilling. “Ashimolowo” is more cheeky and spiritual, telling haters to back off and let him be. “Cough Syrup” with Victony is hands down my favourite track on the album. They went bar for bar with melody, and it’s emotional in a way that feels real, not forced. That song makes you sit up. It’s soft but sharp.

The final track, “In Jesus Name” with Soweto Gospel Choir, is more heartfelt but predictable. The gospel closer gave what it was supposed to give, and even though I’d heard that format before, I still felt something. I could almost see BNXN smiling in the booth recording that outro. Like he knew he’d completed something.

So here’s where I land. Captain is beautiful. It’s curated. It’s grown-man music. Lyric-wise, it’s also applaudable because he passed every single message masterfully. But it doesn’t surprise me. It doesn’t push him forward in the way I hoped. BNXN is clearly in command of his sound.

I’m not sure he stretched it. Maybe he didn’t want to. Perhaps this is what leadership looks like to him: easing through the storm instead of trying to create waves. Either way, I listened, and for what it is, it works.

Next time, I’d love to see him shake the boat a little.

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