The month of August may be winding down, but from the sound of things coming from Bounce-Worthy bae Darien Dean, the freedom and feel of summer is far from over. For his latest single, the Mount Vernon, NY-native and multi-talented artist teamed up with UK legend Omar Lyefook and Tony Award-nominated actress/vocalist Saycon Sengbloh to create a jubilant celebration of culture on "Straight UP! (Roots Session)." Dean and Omar tap into their Jamaican roots and partner with Isma Hill on production who digs into his African background and clearly channels the genius of Nigerian legend Fela Kuti, making for an undeniably infectious and triumphant groove that blends island riddims with afrobeats.
Earlier this summer, Jazz FM London posted a live in-studio performance video of Darien and Omar performing this track without any additional information or even the song title. Now that we know what it is and hear the official version, we're all in. "Straight UP! (Roots Session)" is the second single from Detours, the latest installment of Darien's Notes from the Journey trilogy. If the sultry stepper’s groove of the project’s first single "Last Song" and the international vibe of “Straight UP!” is any indication of route Dean plans to take us, be sure to pack your dancing shoes as it promises to be sho’ nuff a party.
Dive into Darien Dean and Omar’s “Straight UP! (Roots Session)” stream and watch their Jazz FM performance in case it flew under your radar, too. If you can't get enough of the song, check out four additional mixes of the track, including the original global mix produced by Hallex M available now for pre-order on Traxsource.
