Acclaimed as one of the most iconic records in rock and roll history, Paul Simon's Grammy-winning 1986 album ‘Graceland’ has received a special 2018 reworking, with the likes of MK, Richy Ahmed, Paul Oakenfold, and Groove Armada all spinning their own unique interpretations across the release—the first time a classic album has been reimagined in its entirety.
Having sold over 16 million copies worldwide, Graceland became a legendary production with Paul Simon sampling diverse sounds and World Music styles, creating an eclectic mixture of pop, rock, African Zulu isicathamiya, and mbaqanga dance styles.
The project, consisting of 12 remixes from a range of artists representing a wide array of styles from Deep House, Afro House, DnB, Tech House, and many more, was overseen by producer and project curator Michael Gaiman, AKA The Duke of New York.
A celebration of Graceland's impact on world music, the release marks 32 years since the album introduced a diverse cast of musicians, including the bold use of native South African performers at a time when the Western world had boycotted them due to the apartheid that threatened to tear the country apart.
Exposing audiences to the notion of “world music” from diverse corners of the globe, this cultural exchange eventually created a through-line to contemporary electronic music, the cornerstones of which involve capturing and sampling other instruments, field sounds and recordings to create bold, alternative compositions.