LSTV First Listen: Tim Lyre’s Spiral Might Just Be His Magnum Opus

You know what? I never doubted Tim Lyre’s ability to deliver — especially on a two-sided project.
The nostalgia this album carries instantly reassures you of his commitment to the craft. Spiral is Tim’s sophomore album following Worry (2022), and four years later, the king of penmanship is still in the booth delivering bangers like it’s his first time.

There’s a noticeable confidence in his sound now. He kicks off the project with a cheeky bit of self-praise, describing a fight against the game:
“I sting like a bee so they can’t have access / Left, right, left so they can’t pass us” —
a direct nod to Muhammad Ali and his tactical, poetic bravado. This opening record features the always-smooth Moelogo. Together, they bounce bars off each other effortlessly, making the intro a definite replay moment.

Now let’s talk features.
It’s no secret Tim blends seamlessly with his usual collaborators — Mojo, Show Dem Camp, BOJ. But it’s the newer voices like Joshua Baraka, Joyce Olong, BINA, and Binta that elevate this body of work. Just wait till you hear what they do to your soul.

Storytelling?
Already covered that with the intro — but it doesn’t stop there. One standout moment for me is the quality of production. When a project’s mixing and mastering blurs the line between live instruments and digital kits, that’s when you know the budget was up, and the ears were sharp.

All in all, this album might be the project that brings Tim Lyre to the forefront — closer to the conversation of who’s next, and who’s elite. It cements him as one of the most refined voices to come out of the continent, and a true craftsman in every sense.