DJ Remmy and Friends Halloween Edition spins off with an interesting mix of sonics presently dominating the Afrobeats scene. With hypnotic turntable scratches, witty song selections and transitions and a cohesive party groove, DJ Remmy makes a statement with this mixtape; signaling his mastery across the class of noteworthy disc jockeys in Afrobeats today.
Kicking off with Ckay’s “Body (with Mavo)”, DJ Remmy, born Remigius Onyemesim, sets the tone for the mixtape, with a slow-burn to fast-paced tempo that’s popular across Afrobeats dancefloors thanks to mavericks like BNXN, Victony, Oxlade, among others.
Draped in a pilot costume, he takes his position as a sonic pilgrim seriously, traversing several genres to keep the party at high octane energy levels throughout the 1hr tape.
One alluring facet of live disc jockeying that’s sweeping across Afrobeats’ dancefloors is the use of live percussion. Primarily used as a transitive tool, the live Marimba/Tom drum interludes usher in a more immersive feel of the music. In this Halloween mixtape, DJ Remmy cleverly blends his song plays with the live percussion, leaving no space for long pauses and cleverly uplifting crowd energy with that live percussion plus hypeman combo.
If you’re a regular at Afrobeats parties, you are obviously no stranger to the volume of pan-African fusions that dominate the playlists, especially South African Amapiano and Naijapiano. Hailed as the Bpm sweetheart of Africa’s dancefloors, Amapiano garnishes most playlists with its hard hitting log drums and soothing pianos. In DJ Remmy’s Halloween, he peels from the distinct slices of Amapiano from South African 3-step Amapiano in Young Stunna’s “Adiwele” to OG Abbah’s Hausapiano in “Wayyo Allah Na”, to Shallipopi’s “Laho”. The entire mix centered Amapiano in equal measure with Afro pop, keeping the dancefloor mostly pan-African as well as energetic.
“Dem must feel am/ Dem gast to feel am,” the Hypeman’s chants tore through the interludes in the mix with the same appeal that has kept them at the forefront of Afrobeats’ evolution in recent times. “Nak am dey go,” he thunders, accompanying the live percussionist in segueing the groove during the instrumental interludes. DJ Remmy’s pace and crowd control, eventually, soared as the mix’s strongest pleasure points, allowing the crowd to soak in the melodies, without getting overwhelmed.
Just when one might think the mix’s lengthy duration will induce fatigue, DJ Remmy’s clever fusion of nostalgia reheated the entire dancefloor. When he spun Ice Prince’s 2011 classic, “Oleku”, the crowd understood the assignment, rousing back to life to the vintage Afro pop tunes that once ruled the airwaves. He switched back to contemporary bops, cueing Asake’s “Fuji Vibe” with its sweltering Fuji-piano groove, as the mix raced to a close. He closes curtains in the mix with a line-up of US Pop/Hip Hop bangers, from Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” to Cardi B’s “Check” to Lil Wayne’s “A Milli”, throwing the crowd into a dancey trance.
Overall, DJ Remmy’s ability to control the dancefloor’s energy, with song selections that peaked from mid-tempo pop tunes to fast-paced Amapiano bops, remains the mixtape’s strongest quality. His use of live percussion, hype, as well as smooth transitions, elevated the tape’s enjoyability and replay value. A master of tempos and tonal structures, DJ Remmy’s live mix ensured tonal balance, sonic clarity and balance of tensions that helped partygoers stay energized throughout the entire 1hr spin. It’s a mood-lifting mix that’s guaranteed to keep the party alive, once again illustrating the power of the disc jockey to sustain Afrobeats’ present evolution and global takeover.
Born Remigius Onyemesim, DJ Remmy is a prolific disc jockey whose electrifying Afrobeats mixes have since shot him into the public spotlight over the years. After years of honing his skill, he’s now taken his musical apostolate global, elevating the Afrobeats culture across the UK where he now resides. His sophomore DJ Bootcamp, last year, titled DJ Remmy Bootcamp 2.0 educated several dozens of people, in partnership with the Bradford-based Theatre in The Mill’s Dr Shabina Aslam. He also clinched the People’s Choice Award at the 2024 Bradford Music Awards, as well as an Entertainment Icon honours from the Men’s Porch Awards and Best DJ award from the Miss Ebony Ambassador UK contest, further drawing widespread recognition to his craft.
