Tiana Khasi shares 'Whole Lotta Shine (Sampology Remix)' ahead of new EP
Brisbane-born, Melbourne-based future soul artist, Tiana Khasi, makes a radiant return with her first new music of 2020, taking her critically-acclaimed debut EP Meghalaya for one last spin and delivering a lush new remix of ‘Whole Lotta Shine’ by long-time friend, collaborator and producer, Sampology - the first track from her latest project, ‘Meghalaya - The Remixes’, featuring some of the artists favourite producers and collaborators from across Australia and New Zealand.
Titled for Meghalaya, India – the land of the Khasi people whose name Tiana proudly bears and one of the few matrilineal societies on planet Earth – Meghalaya was originally released in March 2019, co-written and produced by Sampology, and stands as a powerful statement of intent that honours Tiana’s Samoan and Indian heritage. A rich tapestry of styles and influence, the EP quickly gained support at home and abroad, with debut single ‘Nuketown’ catching the ear of UK tastemaker Gilles Peterson, earning a spot on the 13th edition of his renowned compilation, Brownswood Bubblers. The EP also received warm support from Complex UK, Rolling Stone US, Worldwide FM, Germany’s C-Heads Magazine, EARMILK and The Guardian’s Best Australian Tracks.
Finding herself in lockdown along with the global music community at large, Tiana put the call out to some of her favourite producers, with the simple request to bring their own unique style and breathe new life into her songs. The result; a beautiful, eclectic collection of songs that mark an uncertain time in history but represent community and collaboration at its core. On the project as a whole, Khasi explains “This remix EP represents a full spectrum of time; retrospectively, key collaborators and influential styles of the original EP are playfully explored, whilst offering a glimpse into my broader Australian & global musical community.”
Sampology's ‘Whole Lotta Shine’ remix stands as a nod to the duo’s journey as collaborators and the role he played in bringing the original songs to life. The producer - a keystone artist and leader in Brisbane’s music community and monthly resident on Worldwide FM - pushed the boundaries of what a remix is defined as, with a complete instrumental rework and brand new arrangements, rebuilding the track from scratch to deliver an extended dub-disco interpretation for the dance floors. “After recording new latin conga and timbale parts with my favorite local percussionist here in Brisbane Gustav, I had Rohan The Intern (keys player from the original version) do a couple of passes of synth soloing. At that point a beautiful red 60s organ had come into my home studio which I played for the new chords and the bassline throughout the remix.” After hearing Sampology’s remix and the new life the track had taken on, Tiana was an instant fan: “This colourful reimagination reminded me of the vibrancy of his work that inspired our collaboration in the beginning. It's a dream to have such a highly regarded DJ, remix a song intentionally for the dance floor.”
With a stellar lineup of musicians including Melbourne’s Horatio Luna, So.Crates and Best Foot Forward, kiwi neighbours choicevaughan and Benny Salvador and UK-based Street Rat lending their hand to the forthcoming Soul Has No Tempo release, Khasi reflects “I feel every remix showcases the personal backgrounds and strengths of its respective producer, highlighting the reasons why I, personally, love their work. These remixes have respectfully honoured the origins of my songs and uniquely transported them to new worlds.”
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