Djuma Soundsystem is back on iZIKI with «Manlaton», – a deep and soulful song with Egyptian Adel Mekha on vocals. Adel is from the small Egyptian tribe of Mattokki, and he sings directly to our hearts, in his native Nubian language «Kenzi». The director, Blake Dvs, draws inspiration from his Middle Eastern roots, and takes personal footage, mainly from Palestine, and mixes it up with original shoots of the artists from India and Egypt, as well as using actors in s New York studio. Blake says «Manlaton is the gateway between the radio and the music. This video gives a visual feeling of surfing on an international sound wave through a frequency storm.» The creation of the music video evolved through various stages of conceptualization.
Despite the geographical separation of the artists across Egypt, Norway, India, and NYC, the thread that connected them was the music itself. After a span of months, a message finally arrived from Adel’s wife, bridging the gap from Alexandria to Cairo, Egypt, translating his thoughts for the team, and an incredible clip surfaced, featuring Adel’s self-captured performance of Manlaton, adding a unique dimension to the project. Within the video, two Japanese artists based in New York play significant roles. Ritsu’s character navigates a journey of communication, gradually succumbing to frustration. Meanwhile, Maki serves as the vital link between Ritsu and the radio operator. This is his second collaboration with Djuma Soundsystem, after «Hunting ground» with Jonas Saalbach and Chris McCarthy. «Manlaton» is also available in a Fake Mood and Darksidevinyl remixes. Release day on all platforms: September 8th 2023
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Video Credits: Director: Blake Dvs Studio: Dreamtone NYC Production: Cake Cake Puppet: Keely Snook Hair: Ritsu Style Dancer: Maki Kitahara
