As promised, we’re amped to finally share ‘The Departure‘ from Amerigo Gazaway’s Yasiin Bey (FKA Mos Def) & Marvin Gaye conceptual collaboration, “Yasiin Gaye“. Premiering on Okayplayer.com, the latest release from Gazaway’s “Soul Mates” series continues the narrative of his previous work in creating collaborations that never were.
Unlike his “Fela Soul” and “Bizarre Tribe” concepts, Amerigo’s process of taking apart and re-orchestrating original samples in a new context was enhanced by a much larger amount of available audio resources (including multitrack stems for vocals, drums, strings, horns, bass, guitar, etc.).
“As a producer and fan, there is something truly powerful and humbling about listening to the original [Marvin Gaye] multitracks. It’s almost as if you can feel the rawness and vulnerability in his voice. If you listen carefully on certain takes, you can sometimes even hear him harmonizing faintly in the background with the female backup singers. It honestly gives me chills every time I hear it.” -Amerigo Gazaway
Utilizing those resources wisely, Gazaway built the album’s foundation from deconstructed samples of Gaye’s Motown classics and re-purposed the instrumentation into new productions within a similar framework. Carefully weaving Bey’s tangled raps and Gaye’s soulful vocals over his new arrangements, the producer delivers a quality much closer to an authentic collaboration than a lukewarm “mashup” album.
Stream the new single “I Want You ‘Til The Summertime” and grab the full album download below.
Tracklist:
1. Intro Theme (The Departure)
2. Inner City Travellin’ Man [Instrumental]
3. Definition of Infinity (feat. Talib Kweli) [Instrumental]
4. I Want You ’Til The Summertime [Instrumental]
5. Ms. Fat Booty [Instrumental]
6. The Panties (feat. Teddy Pendergrass) [Instrumental]
7. Workin’ It Out [Instrumental]
8. Peculiar Mathematics [Instrumental]
9. T Plays a Cool Loop (feat. Andy Flory)
10. Time (To Get It Together) [Instrumental]
11. Inner City Breathin’ (feat. Tammi Terrell) [Instrumental]
12. Two Worlds feat. Kanye West [Instrumental]
13. Soul Mates Radio feat. The Black Astronauts [Instrumental]