Check Out The Apple Music Home Session: Mango In Spatial Audio
During South Africa’s Heritage Month of September, Apple Music is paying tribute to a range of South African musicians who used their platforms for meaningful change, through their inaugural campaign called Amaqhawe (meaning hero).
Apple Music Home Session: Mango Groove features the legendary 11-piece Afro-pop icons reimagining their signature songs as well as a thoughtful cover.
“The pandemic was very hard for all artists, and at times it forced us into fairly dark periods of self-reflection. At the same time, however, we ultimately took away things that changed us for the better. We came to understand the true importance of real human content and connection. Art is very powerful in this regard, and we should treasure it for how it can nourish us. Also the importance of being yourself however you wish to express yourself, through art, music or whatever. Sincerity and authenticity are at the heart of it all, and the pandemic reminded us of that,” Mango Groove tells Apple Music.
“Our song ‘Moments Away’ has a special place in our hearts as it was really our very first love song. It’s also a song that concert audiences always sing with us, so we always love playing it live, too. The Home Session version is very stripped down and we hope it captures the emotional core of the song.”
“The song ‘Another Country’ was written as a direct response to the Boipatong Massacre, during a particularly fraught, uncertain and painful time in our country’s history. For all of its genesis, however, the song is also, above all, a song about hope, inclusion, belonging and reconciliation, and in so many ways we feel it still resonates with the myriad uncertainties that South Africans and the world seem to be facing today. We were particularly honoured and humbled by the song’s association with the awe-inspiring art of William Kentridge, and we also celebrated the song more recently on our 2017 release Faces to the Sun: a collaboration with the ridiculously talented Zolani Mahola. With all of this in mind, a more intimate treatment of the song for the Home Sessions felt utterly right and appropriate.”
“Laurika Rauch has always been one of our favourite SA artists, and we have always particularly loved this song. Chris Torr always writes such bittersweet and exquisite melodies, and we love the soaring, evocative, epic and uniquely South African natural imagery of the lyrics. Profound reflections on history, identity and belonging. We thought we would try a slower, more anthem-like treatment of “The Flying Dutchman” song that hopefully also pays tribute to the emotional power of the original version.”
The Home Session EP, available to stream on Apple Music in Spatial Audio, will feature two exclusive unplugged tracks from the pop culture mavericks, namely “Moments Away” off Hot Talk and “Another Country” off Faces To The Sun, as well as a cover of Laurika Rauch’s “The Flying Dutchman”.
Check out “Apple Music Home Session: Mango Groove” below.
