ARKADYAN, Africanism and Yana Mann unite on Forever We Young
Forever We Young brings together ARKADYAN’s live-influenced Afro-house, Yana Mann’s classical-meets-electronic vocals, and Africanism’s rhythmic legacy, creating a track that bridges past and present with a refined, melodic touch.
ARKADYAN have built a reputation for merging live instrumentation with club-focused rhythms, drawing on jazz, reggae, salsa, and Afro-house influences. Their performances at Tomorrowland, CHINOIS Ibiza, and Surf Club Dubai reflect this approach, balancing structured grooves with an improvisational feel. Their collaborations, including Leleley with Bob Sinclar, place them at the intersection of organic and electronic sounds, shaping a style that is both intricate and direct.
On Forever We Young, they reunite with Yana Mann following their previous collaboration on Esperanza, blending warm, percussive house with ethereal melodic elements.
Mann’s performances at Carnegie Hall and Berlin Philharmonie have showcased her ability to bridge different musical worlds, while her 2023 set atop the Eiffel Tower with Monumental – supported by UNESCO – further highlighted her multidisciplinary approach. On Forever We Young, her vocals shift between texture and melody, layering over ARKADYAN’s crisp, rhythmic production.
Africanism provides a link to a broader lineage of Afro-influenced house. Originally a loose collective spearheaded by Bob Sinclar in the early 2000s, Africanism brought together producers like DJ Gregory, Martin Solveig, and David Guetta, combining classic French house with percussive, chant-driven grooves. Tracks like Edony and Tourment D’Amour helped introduce these elements to European dancefloors, prefiguring today’s Afro-house movement, and its influence remains visible in the work of artists like Black Coffee, THEMBA, and &ME.
With Forever We Young, that lineage continues – not as a revival, but as an extension. ARKADYAN’s layered instrumentation, Yana Mann’s floating vocal, and Africanism’s rhythmic foundations come together in a way that feels considered rather than nostalgic, engaging with the past while keeping its focus forward.
Forever We Young is out now on Yellow Productions
