blackwave. - a-okay [Video]

Photography by Daniil Lavrovski

Having recently announced the upcoming release of their next album ‘no sleep in LA’ due next September, Belgian hip-hop duo blackwave. (composed of rapper Jay Atohoun and singer-producer Willem Ardui) have set themselves apart by merging soul, jazz, funk, and hip-hop elements with a nostalgic, open-minded approach. Crafting a sound that melds their innate differences and distinct musical backgrounds, blackwave. have continued to rise over the last five years, achieving breakout success with their debut album ‘ARE WE STILL DREAMING?’ in 2019 and performing at festivals such as Montreux Jazz, Sziget, North Sea Jazz and Pukkelpop.

Featuring innovative rap artist Abhi The Nomad, who smoothly intertwines his rich flows with blackwave.'s own Jay, ‘a-okay’ is a fresh, bopping hit about unresolved feelings and unspoken words.

Speaking of the song, Willem explains, "The song reflects that feeling of having unfinished business with someone, or that a story isn't finished. It's the unsettling feeling of an open ending. The feeling I get from it is like when you're riding your bike through the park really early, when the sun is just rising, and everything is covered in mist. There's some sort of veil covering everything, and slowly yet surely the sun comes beaming through."

Jay adds his inspiration for the track: "I went off something I felt for my girl at the time, being that I needed to tell her so many things but got caught up in so many other things whilst grinding life and a career that I just didn't get to it and even lowkey forgot about it..."

Listen to ‘a-okay’ and watch the track’s quirky, collage inspired visuals below: