Berhana - Break Bread (Single)
Picture Credit: Girma Berta @gboxcreative
LA based singer/songwriter Berhana releases radiant single ‘Break Bread’, taken from his upcoming album Amén የዘላን ህልም (The Nomad’s Dream), out via EQT Records.
Bathed in late summer sun, the single eases in with gently strummed acoustic strings, shortly making way for Berhana’s warm vocals to arrive, mirroring the staccato plucks of the instrumental for the song’s hook. “You know I don’t break bread with just anybody”, Berhana tells his lover, reassuring that although times may get difficult, he is there for the long run. Production is subtly alluring with its laid back groove and is perfectly suited to Berhana’s romantic croons. As the song enters its final act, we are treated to a switch up reminiscent of prime N.E.R.D: as gravity loses its grip, we are swept up in a vortex of angelic backing vocals, swirling synths and an overall sense of euphoria.
Speaking on the single, Berhana shares, “It's about finding someone I'm really into after taking a bunch of L's, while at the same time having to remind myself to slow down. The song moves between infatuation and caution until the bridge, where I finally let go.”
Berhana first made his arrival back in 2016 with his self titled Berhana EP, standout songs such as ‘Grey Luh’ and ‘Janet’ illustrating a meticulous and considered approach to making music, with forward thinking production matching perfectly with Berhana’s emotive vocal performances. Berhana is an artist that can often elude categorisation as he seamlessly slips between genres spanning pop, r&b, electronic and more. On his debut LP HAN released in 2019, Berhana displayed his penchant for visual storytelling, fittingly the artist had studied film in New York prior to embarking on his music career. Inspired by Midnight Marauders, the album included a narrator to help guide the listener along the voyage of Berhana’s psychedelic, soulful musings.
Across the upcoming LP Amén, we see a narrative unfold revolving around Berhana’s romantic and personal maturity. In the creation of the project, Berhana was able to gain a deeper reverence and understanding for his Ethiopian roots: frequently taking trips to the country’s capital and also digging through vinyl at Ethiopian record stores. Sonically, the album merges traditional East African instrumentation with Berhana’s unique blend of psychedelic-leaning R&B production.