(May 4, 2024) On each of Kem’s albums, there are at least a few songs that just totally swing. These tunes step over that line and allow Kem to display his jazz chops. “Set You Free,” a cut from Album II, is a tune where those jazz sensibilities come through.
It possesses a mid-tempo swing and a smooth, but understated bass line that provides the foundation for Kem’s vocal improvisations and some jazz flourishes on saxophone, flute, and organ.
Now, thanks to South African DJ Kek’star, this jazzy cut gets a reimagination that is a 180 degree turn from the original that appeared on Kem’s 2005 project. The remix version fuses those same jazzy sensibilities with a percussive, propulsive, and up-tempo arrangement that leans deeply into both dance and Afro Latin rhythms.
Check out the “Set You Free” remix here.
By Howard Dukes
