MK the Genie is part of a generation of Nigerian singers blurring the line between R&B and Afrobeats into abstraction and Fisherman holds proof of that ambition. With just six songs on the EP and a 16-minute runtime, the talented multihyphenate folds a sensual R&B sensitivity into slick Afropop rhythms, hinting at the softer, melodic direction of the genre post-Made in Lagos. Building on the sturdy percussive patterns of 2022’s Before Midnight, Fisherman is a free-flowing effort that subsumes influences from palmwine music and trapsoul for an altogether immersive experience. Inspired by EMK’s full embrace of a relationship, Fisherman deals exclusively in the currency of romance. Opener, “Keeper,” is built around a spine-tingling bass riff, affording the singer enough room to pledge his devotion wholeheartedly. “I don fall in love/Came to me like you were sent from God,” he sings in an excited pitch on “Tracy,” inviting NONZO along for the ride. By the closer, “Energy,” EMK the Genie is assuring his partner that they’re meant to be together forever and you really can’t help but believe him.