KOJO BLAK always has something to say and knows how to say it. Since announcing his arrival on the scene with the release of 2023’s “Rulling I (Day Ones)”, a tender ode to his grind and loved ones, the Dansoman singer has made his music a vibrant mosaic of the struggles and melodrama that litter his private life while taking in the broader Ghanaian youthful experience. The specificity of the singer’s style has helped build his profile and attract an ever-increasing audience eager to hear more of his silky-toned confessionals and jaunty anthems. His 2024 mixtape 757 pulled a thread through his past and present while chronicling his paranoia and quest for success on songs like “Rugged” and “Shutdown”. Less than a year after the release of 757, the singer returns with 131, another batch of slippery, soulful tracks that showcase his growth as a person and artist. Taking its title from the time it was finished (1:31 pm), the nine-track project contends with the price of success and the cost of maintaining authenticity while blending R&B influences with highlife and Afrobeats. The project opens with “Intro (Rulling 3)”, a timely addition to his long-running “Rulling” series. There’s a palpable sense of survivor’s guilt on “Touch Ground” where the singer says a prayer for friends from his past life and glances back at where he’s come from. When he’s reminiscing on a romance on “Down”, there’s an inescapable sense of foreboding even as he’s doing his best to assure his love interest of his devotion. Despite its tense subtext, 131 still segues into moments of lightheartedness. “S.O.H.” is an electro-infused summons to the dance floor, while the Sarkodie-featuring “Next Door” adds a new dimension to a heartfelt set.