Recorded originally in the 1990s, ‘Sete Djon Ye’ is one of the earliest hits from iconic Malian musical duo Amadou & Mariam, whose long and storied journey has included Grammy nominations and opening slots for U2, Coldplay and Blur. Now recontextualized from its original West African blues into a sleek deep house stormer by acclaimed producers BLOND:ISH (Canada) and Francis Mercier (Haiti), this magnificent song transcends the ages while losing none of its mesmerizing heartfelt power. Sung in the Bambara dialect, and encompassing a universal message of hope and uplift, the lyrics of ‘Sete’ poignantly address the duo’s initial feelings of shame over their physical handicap (both were born blind) and how their spiritual devotion has seen them through difficult times.
“We love ‘Sete’ by Blond:ish and Francis Mercier. It amazes us how other artists give our songs a new sound, especially the creative freedom they express in their work… it’s impossible not to want to dance to this song. We love it!” – Amadou & Mariam
“Sete is one of those records that crosses genres, cultures, and generations without any boundaries. We have Afro, Tech, and late 90s Indie molded into a modern international club record with artists from around the world – Mali, Haiti, and Canada, and then embraced by one of the most influential US-based record labels, Insomniac. I can’t wait for the world to hear this modern dance rework of one of the most legendary African acts’ hit single from the 90s!” – Francis Mercier
‘It was a pleasure working with Francis on this one, summer’s coming, and these are some good vibes for the dancefloor ;)” – BLOND:ISH
