Brekete cult songs, of which there are literally hundreds, have several functions. In addition to declaring the power of the cult, they voice praise for the cult gods and invite the gods, who are thought to be fond of music, to make themselves manifest at the ceremony via spirit-possession. With rare exceptions, however, it is not until the master drummer and full ensemble are playing that possession-trance occurs.

With the full ensemble playing, the ceremony begins in earnest.  The master drummer plays the brekete drum alternately in song, dance and speech mode in an attempt to bring on possession-trance in the initiates.  Song mode drumming, exemplified by the first song in this selection, occurs when the drummer plays a pattern which closely conforms to the phrasing and tone pattern of the song lyrics.  Note that the music is structured in similar fashion to astiagbekɔ, except that in this case there are two bells playing a crossing pattern which emphasizes the “4” meter.  Kagaŋ sometimes plays a crossing pattern in “3” instead of its usual “4” pattern.

After over an hour of uninterrupted drumming, the cantor stops the proceedings and begins a series of free-rhythms songs which constitute a group invocation of the cult gods.  This ceremony within the larger ceremony is sometimes called salah (prayer) and represents an acknowledgement of the parallel Islamic content of the cults coming from northern Ghana.  Clearly audible here are the shrieks of mediums already in trance.

Now the brekete drummer begins a series of short drum calls which serve the dual function of entertaining those gods already present and bringing those who have not yet arrived.  Many possessions occur during these virtuoso riffs (note  screams of mediums going into trance); those already possessed redouble their virtuoso dance styles.