Candi Staton - Hallelujah Anyway (Larse VIP)

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Defected Records presents a series of extra special collaborative releases Together, integrating talent from the label’s storied past and the stars of its future as Candi Staton’s seminal classic ‘Halleliujah Anyway’ receives two new remixes from Larse and Jnr SA. An international icon of dance music, American singer-songwriter Candi Staton first released ‘Hallelujah Anyway’ in the early 2000s, with the gospel anthem rapidly becoming a dancefloor must-have thanks to remixes from revered house artists like Moplen, Dr Packer, David Penn, Ashley Beedle and the late Frankie Knuckles alongside Eric Kupper. The record continues to inspire dancefloors today, now receiving an update from acclaimed DJ, producer and longstanding friend of Defected, Larse. Hailing from Germany, Larse captured the attention of house heads globally with his 2012 remix of this record, a landmark release for Defected that established the producer as an international tour de force; his new version of ‘Hallelujah Anyway’ again enriches the innate spirituality of Candi Staton’s soulful music, melding with his signature groove for an unforgettable outing of gospel house. Also putting his unique stamp on the record, the influential Jnr SA has worked with major players of South Africa’s vibrant Afro house scene; his take on ‘Hallelujah Anyway’ brings with it a reverence for his formative years in the church, combined with an electronic knowledge well beyond his years.