Paul Simon - Graceland - The Remixes (2018) [Hi-Res]

More than 30 years ago, Paul Simon’s Graceland blended styles of music from all across the globe into one stunning musical statement. Now, Graceland: The Remixes pairs the original songs from the album with the talents of the world’s top electronic musicians and producers, underlining the album’s continued impact in the 21st century.

Originally released in 1986, Graceland offered a mixture of pop, rock, African Zulu isicathamiya and mbaqanga dance styles, a capella and zydeco. Working with 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), Graceland introduced rock and pop fans to styles and arrangements that were not commonly known.

The album sold 16 million copies, earned the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2007—but, just as importantly, it exposed 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.

In that spirit, Graceland: The Remixes features new mixes of every track from the original album in a wide array of styles, spanning deep house, drum & bass, techno and more. The remixers on this project, including Paul Oakenfold, Groove Armada, MK, Thievery Corporation, Joris Voorn, Sharam, Joyce Muniz and The Duke of New York (the executive producer and curator of Graceland: The Remixes), represent some of the greatest dance remix talent the world over.

Produced by Michael Gaiman