SOUND IN MOTION: Interpretations of Mörda’s Asante IV.
Sound in Motion is my love letter to AfroHouse music. There is something about AfroHouse music that speaks to me unlike any other music. Is it the drums, the melodies, or the layers of syncopated rhythms all working together to stir emotion ? Whatever it is AfroHouse deeply touches me and excites me to dance and get lost in the rhythm.
One of the beautiful things I love about Afro House is that I don’t feel confined to one dance style when I hear it. Honestly I feel the music goes well with all dance styles. For me specifically, I am influenced by various dance styles—Afro Cuban, Afro Brazilian, Afro Caribbean, House, Dancehall, and Kuduro—and AfroHouse music allows me to seamlessly blend these influences together in my dance. It gives me the freedom to move and express with a focus on musical connection rather than the execution of a specific dance style.
I grew up in the Caribbean, and I’ve realized my upbringing and the rhythms I was exposed to are why I connect so much with AfroHouse. When I hear AfroHouse music, I hear familiar rhythmic patterns that remind me of my upbringing, and somewhere deep down those rhythms excite me to dance. And when I dance, I feel this deep connection between the rhythms and my body.
I often tell people that this connection only happens in the club, where the music is loud, and there is energy all around. That’s when my dance comes alive, and is most expressive. It’s not necessarily in dance circles; instead it’s often me in a corner or some spot in the club having a complete musical connection.
I also often tell people if the music is bad, I can’t dance. I need certain rhythms and beats, to excite my urge to dance. I am definitely not the type of dancer that can just “kill it” without the right rhythm speaking to my soul.
There are certain DJs and producers whose music and sets create this musical connection for me, one of those DJs/producers is Mörda. His Asante albums have become my staples for looped playback on long haul flights. There is something about rediscovering the depth of the music, when you are confined with no place to go and your mind is fully present and focused.
Mörda recently released Asante IV, which I listened to on loop, awestruck by its depth and versatility. As I listened I envisioned myself lost in the music on a dark dance floor. In that vision, I also saw other dancers experiencing the album and expressing their connection to the music in their own unique ways.
And this idea led me to Sound in Motion—a project born out of my love for AfroHouse and its ability to move us.
The project consists of my movement interpretations of songs from the album, as well as interpretations from other artists whose movement I admire.
(Note this page will be updated over the next four weeks as new Sound In Motion Videos are released each week)
Video 1:
Song: Ayo James Brown by Morda
Artist: Ken_Ken81 (Instagram)
Videographer: Crick Visuals
Location: New York City, USA
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