C’MON - Aki Oke: Euphoric drops and tasteful distortion perfect for the fleeting British summertime

Recently a certain quote began floating around everyone’s news feeds: “the dancefloor is dead.” Now, while this is clearly a quote inspired to infuriate and also promote Charli xcx’s new album, it still dug under my skin, especially because the blink-and-you'll-miss-it ethos of British summertime was rearing its occasionally sunny head around the same time; a time when dance music absolutely flourishes. A single lick of sun will appear, and suddenly, droves of families will be out in their gardens with BBQs and ‘Gypsy Woman’ is blasting from a boombox. Young Brits will react in equal measure, finding the nearest patch of green and running to Tesco’s for a cheap 4 pack of own-brand cider while Sammy Viriji blares throughout the park. We have no idea when  the sun will disappear again, but even if that happens in the next 10 minutes, at least we’ve soaked up as much sun as possible.  

This anecdote neatly sums up the new release from the new kid on the block: Aki Oke. A dance focused project with a scrappy edge from singer/songwriter Will Joseph Cook, “C’MON”  captures that distinct British summer feeling while packing a hard punch in its production. Opening with a drowned-out version of its instrumental, it kicks into fifth gear with bubbly piano chords layered over hi-hats, groovy baselines and dreamlike synth work. It’s a house track at its core, but with J-Pop influences bleeding through the edges: the track wouldn’t feel out of place with a Wednesday Campanella feature. The vocoder effects on his voice that drop into the mix are a nice touch, with the deliberate distortion throughout leading into the concept of the fleeting  summertime. It’s a track that’s full of agency and is sure to soundtrack many a sunny day in London, as well as being a sweaty club favourite. 

Vocally, as well as most of the new works under Aki Oke, allow Cook’s seasoned songwriting skill to shine through in different ways: rhyming limelight with lime bike as he gushes over beautiful women that oozes tongue n cheek, whereas in other parts, he’s yelping like an excited robot as the chorus kicks off, letting loose deliciously chopped vocal cords backed by punchy drums that  have a real bite to them. Aki Oke, as a project, presents itself as a cathartic release of creativity, which limits these tracks from ever feeling like pastiches of dance music or simply trend-hopping. 

It’s simply undeniable not to feel the soul that goes into a track like this; it’s completely indulged in the moment. Like the escaping British summer time, this song is short, bright and will have you longing for it again after it’s gone.