GLOBAL MUSIC SUPERSTARS SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR & RENOWNED AUSSIE DJ GROOVE TERMINATOR ANNOUNCE HISTORY OF HOUSE ALBUM

August 7, 2024 Mebala Multimedia

Global music superstars Soweto Gospel Choir and renowned Australian DJ Groove Terminator have teamed up with Grammy-winning producer Latroit to present their debut album History of House, a global reimagination of the iconic dance music classics that defined a generation. History of House will be released on 2nd August, 2024 via Music is Fun (a division of Seeker Music), House of Latroit, and Gallo Record Company. To celebrate the album’s release, Soweto Gospel Choir and Groove Terminator have announced they will be playing a 20-show run of live performances at Sydney Fringe Festival this September.

Dreamt up back in 2019, the project began as a live show series featuring the choir and Groove Terminator performing dance music covers that showcased the evolution and “history of house” from the ‘70s through to 2000. When the pandemic put live shows on pause, the concept took on a recorded element and ultimately grew into a multi-pronged collaboration intended to honour the Black history of the genre and bring opportunity to artists and creators across Africa.

Featuring spine-tingling vocal performances in language and collaborations with some of Southern Africa's most promising emerging artists, History of House stands as a vibrant celebration of music and culture. This album transcends boundaries, effortlessly connecting diverse cultures across generations with an authentic fusion of global beats, Afro house, Amapiano, and house music.

Groove Terminator explains how the History of House album came together: “Travelling to South Africa in early 2020 to workshop the live show in Soweto Theatre became a transformative experience. Driving into Soweto each day, rehearsing amidst the community's vibrancy, and witnessing Soweto Gospel Choir's full-throated renditions of Zulu lyrics fused seamlessly with House beats was awe-inspiring. Their ability to imbue songs first with phonetic, then English lyrics, while maintaining emotional resonance, underscored the universal language of music. This collaborative journey with Soweto Gospel Choir has not only illuminated the transcendent power of music but also affirmed its capacity to bridge cultures and histories. I remain profoundly grateful for the opportunity to fuse my passion for House music with the choir's rich heritage, creating something that speaks to the soul and embodies the enduring spirit of unity and joy.”

Shimmy Jiyane from the Soweto Gospel Choir adds, “We met Groove Terminator when he came to watch our show at the Sydney Opera House and he was blown away by the choir. That is when we started putting everything together and discussing how we are going to work on the History of House project together. In South Africa, we have twelve official languages with Zulu being the most popular language all around the world and it’s easy to catch the words, so we decided to use language…Soweto Gospel Choir has been translating songs into language for many years now.”

GRAMMY-winning producer Latroit adds, “Simon called me a couple years ago to talk to me about the live show History of House, with the aim of adding an album to the concept. He had one song recorded, ‘You Got The Love’. He sent the vocals, I put a demo together, and it was instant chills for us, and anyone that I played it for. We knew we were onto something special. Our mission from the start of the project was to use its energy and international access to create opportunities for South African artists. With leadership from the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce Youth Commission, we decided to create a cultural exchange program called ‘Orna Crea+’ with the launch of a remix context for the first History of House single ‘Good Life’. From this initiative we were introduced to an incredible wealth of talent from the Southern African region, with two of the remixes (Chantty Natural & Stakev) featuring on the album.”

Lead single for the album’s release is the Bob Sinclar and Steve Edwards classic, ‘World, Hold On’. “‘World, Hold On’ is about unity, love and togetherness which is what we are all about too,” explains Groove Terminator. “Shimmy’s performance in language highlights that 'World Hold On' is not just another dance floor banger but a rallying cry for a more conscious and united global community. I don’t feel one song can really change the world, but a great tune CAN change your world for a few minutes.”

With the Soweto Gospel Choir hailing from South Africa, an Australian DJ, and an LA-based producer coming together to create music recorded primarily in Adelaide, South Australia, History of House is truly a global music project. The History of House album is comprised of predominantly live musical performances - a rarity for the genre. Check out the track listing below.

Soweto Gospel Choir & Groove Terminator History of House tracklist:

Silence
Troubled
Good Life (Chantty Natural remix)
World, Hold On
Phumula
Everybody’s Free (Stakev Remix)
Ride Like The Wind
Pride (A Deeper Love)
Free
Children
You Got The Love