Last week, we the shared news that Gallo Record Company would be releasing a new EP that takes iconic songs from the label’s rich archives and have them remixed to “make them accessible for the younger market”.
Following this, the company announced that it had chosen four artists to work alongside Grammy-nominated producer and DJ, Black Coffee, in re-imagining treasured African songs from its catalogue.
Four songs from the chosen artists (Sun El Musician, Da Capo, Muzi, Mpho Sebina and Nobuhle) have today been released on all major digital stores globally as part of the first full release titled “Music is Forever”.
“Working with these young artists and watching them dive into Gallo’s rich archives while trying to choose a track that resonates deeply with them is one of the most rewarding projects I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in," commented Black Coffee.
"Each one has done such an incredible job in paying homage to the original while still putting their unique spin on the remix."
The aim for Gallo Records is to use Gallo Remixed to shine a spotlight on their iconic catalogue that includes some of Africa’s most beloved music legends such as Miriam Makeba, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and the late greats Lucky Dube and Oliver Mtukudzi.
A press statement from the company read that the EP "serves as a striking and experimental offering, laying the foundation for the project to expand in the future while re-introducing us to African songs we’ve grown to hold dear to our hearts."
"Over these varied four tracks on ’Music Is Forever’, Gallo Remix asserts their musical authority by treating iconic African songs with an acute attention to detail on their remix and then offering them up to a brand new audience."
Among the EP's highlights is Sun El Musician and Nobuhle delivering a refreshed Pan-African version of one of the best-selling singles by a South African artist to date, Brenda Fassie and Chicco Twala’s smash hit “Vulindlela”.