Although Kele Fleming specializes in vulnerable folk lyrics and rock melodies, the EDM world continues to favor her music, remixing her raw singles as bass-heavy beats. “The Great Acceleration” (Devours Remix) is the newest EDM remix of one of Fleming’s hits.
“This is a love song for end days. Love feels big and important and worth fighting for in this song. The tempo quickens like a heartbeat accelerating. The intensity of the music heats up like an irresistible attraction. The vocal lines intertwine, finally, like lovers,” Fleming said.
The track comes from Fleming’s 2020 album, The Song I’ll Write for My Whole Life. The original recording focuses on strummed bass by Aaron Trory opening the impactful tune about climate change before Fleming launches into her ethereal lyrics, “If these are end days, I want to stay and watch the world decay. I can’t do it alone. I want you in my arms as I get carried away. I’m gonna have my say. It’s a quickening (love is our best plan).”
Kele Fleming’s music, laced with intelligent, conscious, and thought-provoking lyrics (think Joan Baez) has helped her become a cool presence in today’s music industry as it progresses toward a more diverse and inclusive landscape.
Thanks to remixers finding her songs, taking them apart and leaving her vocals, Kele’s garnering streams and DJ club play around the world, reaching an entirely new generation and audience.
While the original tune features a constant bass hum, the electronic remix uses a synth loop, tapping into the apocalyptic message of the track.
“In 2019, I was hearing so much about the fires raging around the globe. I was reading and researching climate science and the Anthropocene (the most recent period in Earth’s history when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems). I stumbled upon an intriguing concept, the great acceleration. It’s the period, since 1950, of the rapid rate of increase in human activity and technological advancement and its impact on the Earth,” Fleming explained.
The verses echo the dual metaphor of a dying world during a time of unwavering love.
“As progress accelerates, so does our impact on the Earth’s geology and ecosystems. To me, it’s a metaphor for love. If we can get as carried away by our love of life & one another as we do for technology & the rush for progress, we might have a chance. We have time (but not much) to turn things around,” Fleming reported about her single,” Fleming said.
Fleming’s folk song introduces a traditional drum beat around the one-minute mark, welcoming Tony Lee’s skills. At the same time, the Devours’ remix adds a fast-paced synth percussive beat to accentuate the speed of “The Great Acceleration,” which highlights Fleming’s vocals and ability to transcend genre.
