These Days feat. Kirani Ayat
These Days:
Berlin-based production duo Re.decay have returned with ‘These Days,’ an upbeat and dynamic blend of hip hop, afrobeats and soul. After two years focused mainly on production for other artists, the track showcases a confident return to centre stage for the duo and noticeable stylistic developments. Re.decay’s raw sonic palette is tempered by smooth chords and a pulsating, playful blend of eastern and western rhythms.
On vocals, the duo enlisted rising Ghanian talent Kirani Ayat, who flows effortlessly, switching between breathy, vocal textures, gritty rap, and anthemic hooks, all while delivering a message of stoic optimism (in both English and Hausa, the most popular spoken language in West Africa.) “The song is me reassuring myself,” explains Ayat. “Being different and being innovative is often unrewarded. Over here, it often feels like you’re either mainstream or underground.
My sound is a niche; I put in a lot of effort just to stand out. This track is me reminding myself ‘Darey da rana’ (‘day and night’ in Hausa) ‘life goes on we living our lives that I shouldn’t care much for what’s mainstream or for what’s trendy and I should just keep doing me, I just have to stay true to myself.” Ayat’s bold presence and powerful melodies bring an obvious comparison to Anderson. Paak, while the quiet confidence of his rap verse evokes Mac Miller. When added up, the sum of the parts feels like a stylistic blend between The Internet and Salif Keitta with a pinch of Dave sprinkled in.
The finished product has made Re.decay (Owen Ross and Emanuel Bender) into Kirani Ayat superfans. “We were amazed at the vocals that Ayat sent us. His delivery is soulful, and he strikes the perfect balance between looseness and precision. Aside from his contributions to ‘These Days,’ he set the tone and standard for the whole album.” “Way Out East,” the debut album from Re.decay, is scheduled for release in January 2022. It features 15 vocalists from 8 different countries.
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These Days feat. Kirani Ayat
