Obeka’s fiercely rhythmic music maps a route from the shores of his native Bermuda to the streets of Manchester, the city he’s called home since 2016. Blending feverish percussive sampling and UK rave stylings with nods to gqom, Afrofuturism, dancehall and more, his DJ sets and productions are a feet-stomping shrine to global club culture with one singular intention: to make you move.
Obeka’s new EP, ‘Kingdom Is Rising’ – out today (28th February) on Jamz Supernova’s Future Bounce imprint – is an adventurous distillation of these ideals, delving deeper into the percussive palette of his Afro-Caribbean heritage, as well as the lively tempos of guaracha, which blew him away during his recent debut tour across Colombia. “Over the past five years the South African gqom culture has inspired much of my musical growth and experimentation,” Obeka – real name Jahday Ford – told DJ Mag. “Constantly challenging how I can build a sonic bridge between the percussive elements of the Caribbean Islands in which I was born and the genre-bending force that is gqom.”
Throbbing 808 grooves and pounding drums lay the groundwork on the hyperdextrous title cut ahead of percussive powerhouse single, ‘Rave A.M’, with its meld of West African Dunun, Djembe and bass drums courtesy of Senegalese drummer Simmeon Naphtal. There’s plenty more action on the flip, with raucous chants layered over heavy, distorted basslines and mind-melting electronics.
When he’s not cooking up percussive heat, Obeka is busy championing global sounds in Manchester as one-third of the Me Gusta Collective, an event series bringing world-renowned DJs, producers, and musicians to the UK for truly unique showcases. He’s also entering his second year as a resident on Ghana’s legendary Oroko Radio, shelling energy-fuelled selections from gqom and afro-house, to baile funk and kuduro on the airwaves.
To celebrate the release of ‘Kingdom Is Rising’ on Future Bounce, Obeka spotlights some of the Caribbean and diasporic artists that inspired the project for our Selections series. Dive in below.