One year after the release of “Ode Ireti” by &friends, the track is back with remixes from Sam Zloty, Jaykill, Peaty, and more!
The West African Yoruba phrase, Ode Ireti, translates to Hunters of Hope. This means that it urges the people of the world to follow their hearts and never stop walking down destiny’s road. This is the concept that the Sean Thomas-led &friends collective and collaborators El-Jay and Oluwadamvic sought to explore when creating the infectious afro-house track of the same name.
Today, the showstopper — that found fame on the Burning Man Playa in the form of the Nitefreak Remix — has risen once again. “Ode Ireti” has expanded into a 14-track package full of brand-new remixes from underrated producers hailing from New York, Nigeria, Brazil, Benin, South Africa, Morocco, France, Russia, Ecuador, and Italy. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
Ode Ireti Pt. II‘s origins can be traced back to a contest — in collaboration with Beatport and Label Radar — where fans were asked to submit their take on the track. Over 270 producers got in on the action, and 13 winners were handpicked by Sean Thomas himself, with the top five winners earning cash prizes as well.
The album opens with the sequel (not a part of the contest), “Ode Ireti Pt. II,” throwing rising star VXSION into the fray. Its dark and romantic sound is perfect for prepping listeners for the treats to come. Take the top two winning tracks, for example. Kay-9nine and The Wild Child flex their unyielding skills with a trippy, laidback lounge version and one packed with the type of attitude that makes you purse your face in pleasure.
In response to the support, Kay-9nine expressed, “Being a part of this project is not just a personal triumph, but a beacon of hope and belief for those around me.” The Wild Child was also excited to share their thoughts, stating, “I knew I could do something special with this record, and I just needed an ear to listen to my work rather than just look at my IG metrics.” It certainly paid off because, beyond securing their remixes in history, they’ve also earned direct-support bookings with &friends in 2024.
For some, this marks their first release ever. Hats off to Sam Zloty, Zani, and Kustom. Looking at their offerings respectively, we get a hefty dose of blissful yet melancholic melodics before dancing within a moonlit jungle and swooning to the soulful album closer. Another standout comes from Untouchable Lion. His production to be the dark horse of Ode Ireti Pt. II with vocals simmering, the hypnotic ping-pong synth melts bodies to the floor.
Beyond the aforementioned, power and beauty run rampant. BlackJean, Diego Narvaez, Jaykill, Reminder, Oktave, Cisummi, and Peaty all understood the assignment and proved they were Ode Ireti. In doing so, they elevated their careers and gifted fans a tune for any mood while integrating dramatic twists and turns along the way. We simply can’t wait to see what the future has in store for this talented group of music makers.
Grab your copy of Ode Ireti Pt. II on Spotify or your preferred platform, and follow &friends on social media for more music to come.
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