KarenBE, the Empress of Love, has collected and harvested the sweetness of summer and brewed up holographic sonic delights. As always, drawing deep from her Syrian and Bajan roots and savoring her Hawaiian teachings, KarenBE has flipped the game once again, invoking sun drenched poetry into a rainbow of sound and color to share with the world.
Following her DoomBe “Special Blooom” EP is the launch of her first mixx, “Anuenue”. Named after the Hawaiian word for rainbow, the sounds open portals to a new way, delivering the classic brand new vintage appeal that has come to be the KarenBE trademark. With original songs, remixed tracks, and cosmic collaborations with Sa-Ra, DJ Vadim, Mulatu Astatke, Jay-Z, Sandwich Island Bass, Pugs Atomz, among many others, the mixtape cruises through the sound stages set up in the ethers.
ANUENUE (A New Way) – https://soundcloud.com/karenbesounds/anuenue-a-new-way-karenbe/
Video:
Always delivering sound and color, KarenBE is dropping a couple videos to illustrate the new way. First up is “Light it up”, produced by the London Creative agency CAVALRY, a collaboration that was born after the CAVALRY crew attended her secret gig at SiIlwex House, Brick Lane and were instantly captivated by the songstress’ performance. CAVALRY’s creative director Harris Elliott was keen to work on a project that would reflect Karen’s innovative aesthetic saying – “There was something magical and dreamy that had us hooked…here was a raw talent that I knew we had to had to work with, and help ‘light it up’”.
Stay tuned for the forthcoming videos including KarenBE’s remake of Flying Lotus “Astral Thick” and original “Pele”, named after the mother of fire in Hawaii. The videos keep it raw and real, providing that key-hole vision to the worlds divined by she, herself.
Tastemaker feedback:
“Her sonics are like resin to charcoal .Truly a gift to any mixtape I have created and respiration to why I do what I do” ~ DJ Underdog – Okayfuture / Okayafrica
“Karen Be architects sound like a jazz musician yet lays a heavy bass like a rude gyal. Her newest mixtape just released breaks barriers and if you let it, will take you on a cosmic journey” ~ Tasha Goldberg – Founder of Building Bridges
“Another high point comes in the form of Light It up”, Karen Be has definitely brought something new and creative to the table” ~ Soul Culture
“This shit right here is dope, and definitely worth a spin.” ~ StupidDope
“Checking out Karen Be’s music, it’s safe to say that her sound is audio art, painting an eclectic picture of tropical rhythms, sunshine pop and alternative electro. In short: wonderful jungle soul on a canvas.” ~ The Funkydeli
“Dope, delightful, delicious triple d’s”~ BlackThought
Live:
Come a little closer and don’t be shy. KarenBE has returned to London to perform a number of live dates. She will also be debuting her new line of accessories, headphones and USBs, styled in the global jungle-gypsy ways, for sound boys and girls. Her line of headphones and USBs , will be available to keep the family looking and sounding fresh. A percentage of sales will be donated to Building Bridges Ghana (www.buildingbridgeshub.com), an underground project connecting sound and culture for sustainability.
