Sho Mag Afro House Magazine
‘Progressions’ is the highly anticipated fourth studio album from German born, South Africa residing House Music star ‘Ralf GUM’. A journey through exquisite soulful, afro and earthy grooves, ‘Progressions’ features popular singles ‘Back To Love’ feat. Joseph Junior & Ayanda Jiya, ‘A Time And A Place’ feat. Lady Alma and ‘We Repeat’ feat. Paul Randolph. It also includes Ralf’s brilliant new collaboration with South African superstars ‘Mafikizolo’ on their new single ‘Uyakhala‘ – a spiritual song inspired by a Setswana folk song with the belief that “it takes a village to raise a child” or “a person is a person through other people”. Also on the album is a feast of heavyweight talent including regular cohorts NY Songbird ‘Monique Bingham’ and US trumpet player and singer ‘Kafele’, alongside wonderful vocal talent such as ‘Bongi Mvuyana, Tony Momrelle, Ayanda Jiya and Portia Monique’.
“Progressions captures a lot of life changes for me and now finally feeling fully settled in my South African environment, I am grateful how the album both lyrically and musically reflects the different moods and experiences I have lived through during the last 4 years, all thanks to my amazing collaborators.” – Ralf GUM
The album boasts some heavyweight German and South African musicians including co-producer Michael “Nivalito” Ehnes, strings by ‘Susan Mouton’ and ‘Evert van Niekerk’ (Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra), various percussion players and Flutist and Saxophone player ‘Mthunzi Mvubu’, among others. With four years in the making to get depth, not only in music, but lyrically too, topics on “Progressions” resonate profound messages that touch socio-political topics as much as joyful aspects of life. Packed into Ralf’s ever evolving and unique production style, this stellar body of work reflects on the progression of an artist who found himself long ago, but continues to reinvent himself.
German producer / DJ ‘Ralf GUM’ began his musical career in 1990 putting on guests such as ‘Frankie Feliciano’ and ‘Mousse T’ at his residency in his hometown Würzburg as well as playing further afield in Asia, North and South America. In 2001 he launched ‘GOGO Music’, a highly acclaimed label synonymous with global soulful talent and Ralf’s own brilliant output. Ralf has released 3 albums to date – his 2008 debut “Uniting Music” containing the timeless “All This Love For You” and bestseller “Kissing Strangers”; his gold selling classic “Never Leaves You” which included the official South African chart #1 single “Take Me To My Love”; and “In My City”, which was selected dance album of the year by iTunes in 2014. In 2008 Ralf was invited to play in South Africa where he toured extensively, he also met and released music from the now superstar ‘Black Coffee’ and others and instantly became a fav and regular on the Motherland’s scene. So much so, that Ralf relocated to South Africa in 2012, becoming one of the most pivotal contributors and ambassadors, spurring the growth of the vibrant SA house scene and scooping award nominations in the process.
‘Ralf GUM’ will be touring extensively in Spring 2019, starting with his South African tour across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban from March 01 – April 22, then Europe where he’ll be at ‘Djoon’ among other top venues from April 26 – May 04, before moving on to North America for one week, to finish of the tour on the 18th of May in London. For more information on Ralf’s tour dates please visit http://ralfgum.com/tour/
