Never short of talented musicians, Philadelphia strikes again with the afro-electronica-indie sounds of Zakee, a relatively new artist who is vibrantly coloring the playing field. After a brief stint as a high school math teacher, Zakee found himself delving into the world of performing and producing music. With over fourteen years of classical training in both piano and violin, the career change seemed obvious, but only in hindsight. Yesterday, he released a scintillating video for the song "Snakes", off his latest album, Assimilations, which dropped last year.
Doused in brightly dressed beats, Zakee has created what seems to be a musical personification of versatility. "Snakes", with its echoing, looped vocals and steady afro-beat, conjures images of a sub-saharan trek while "Dope Girl" is a festival-ready, hand-clapping jam, ideal for cruising with your beau. A fan of world exploration, Zakee's music has clearly been inspired by his extended stay in Brazil, where he completed Assimilations and filmed the video for his song, "Glory", a tender song with heavy hip-hop undertones.
Having caught the eye of MTV, who placed Zakee's album on MTV Iggy's Top 20 Debut Albums of 2011, it seems as though the Philly artist is beginning to carve a good niche for himself in the unconventional sounds of "avant-pop". Stream Assimilations below and be sure to catch all of his videos here.
Zakee - Assimilations
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