Two classic tracks by keyboardist Don Laka, who collaborated with Ray Phiri—a key figure in the Johannesburg scene of the ’80s—on projects like UMOJA. The first is “Stages Of Love,” a classic 80s African synth disco and boogie track that was also included on HUNEE’s compilation, and the second is “I Wanna Be Myself,” which has been selected for compilations by Andy Smith and DJ Okapi. Each track has been reimagined with a Prins Thomas & Gerd Janson edit, transforming them into sounds perfectly suited for today’s dance floor! These tracks have the potential to make for the highlight of any night out. The way the stars are arranged on the cover is simply brilliant. You’ll definitely want to add this to your collection. (Saito)

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『Tracklist A. Stages - Prins Thomas Edit 08:34 B1. I Wanna Be Myself - Gerd Janson Edit 07:20 B2. Stages Of Love - Original 05:55 Info: Some tracks don’t need fixing. They just need a bit more room. South African composer and keyboard wizard Don Laka has been quietly sitting in DJ bags for years, especially with people who like their synth music warm, slightly mysterious, and impossible to date properly. Somewhere between jazz funk, township pulse and studio electronics, but really just its own thing. Stages was an obvious candidate for extension. Prins Thomas what he does best here: opens the arrangement, lets the synth lines breathe, stretches the groove until it starts floating a little higher off the ground. Nothing forced, nothing added for the sake of it. Just more of a very good thing. I Wanna Be Myself gets a gentle nudge from Gerd Janson. The idea was simple: keep the personality, and give DJs a version that lands naturally in a modern set without losing the original charm. It’s still the same track, just standing a bit straighter. And because the source matters, the original version of “Stages” is here as well. Always good to remember where the magic started. Three versions, no drama. Just strong music that already knew what it was doing.』