Drawing us in with a cerebral frequency and a spiritual adjacency, expanding with a dimensional expression of the hook, “Yé Ké Yé Ké”, originally from the landmark 1987 dance track by Mory Kanté, Braaheim opens his rendition of Yeke Yeke with notions of ancient futurism.
The captivating production is dance floor friendly, invigorating and delivered in a masterful way. We appreciate how this version retains the core emotion and passion of the original with a fresh Afrobeats energy that feels dynamic, emotional and hypnotic at the same time.
For some background, the lyrics in Mandinka originate from a traditional village folk song called “Yekeke,” which young traditional griots used during courtship and marriage rituals. This is brought to life today by Norwegian producer Braaheim in a way that honours the song’s history, but amplifies it with a more cosmic edge.
Norway’s Braaheim confesses, “I wanted to stay true to the spirit of the original while giving it a modern electronic twist that feels right at home on today’s dance floors.” We could imagine the re-worked version being played at Scorpios in Mykonos, or a beachside party at Camps Bay in Cape Town.
We learn that Braaheim is one of Scandinavia’s most recognizable dance music exports. He has amassed more than 550 million streams and over 3 million monthly listeners with his high-energy electronic productions. Known for breathing new life into iconic tracks like Rhythm Is A Dancer and Paradise, the rising producer has built a reputation for creating chart-topping remakes that resonate with a new generation. His collaborations with artists including K-391, MOTi, Fast Boy and Shaman Durek have earned multiple gold records worldwide.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Yeke Yeke to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Braaheim, and anticipate future releases!