Following the vibrant collaborations with the most flamboyant selection of vocalists, the likes of Antony Hegarty, Shaun J Wright, Kim Ann Foxman, Nomi Ruiz, Aérea Negrot, Krystle Warren, Gustaph, John Grant or Rouge Mary, Hercules & Love Affair's Andrew Butler recruited the velvet voiced Gospel powerhouse Richard Kennedy, to serve his most recent house effort. "You Can Shine", which premiered today on Pitchfork, is the first of the 2 new tracks which Butler, the "enfant terrible" of the House scene, intends to release under his own name rather than his Hercules alias. "You Can Shine" and "Personality Track" are out February 23 on vinyl, March 16 on Beatport, and March 30 on iTunes and other digital stores via his own label, mr.intl.
As Mr Hercules explains in the official press release, "Whilst Hercules has a collaborative, collective approach, Shine goes for a more direct approach, a stomping, uplifting club 12" but it's me so it will still have something of Hercules about it."
"I wanted to tap into the gospel tradition, for there to be a testifying quality to the record,” he continues. “Richard and I talk in the lyrics about putting ego aside and allowing people around you to shine. You shine when you acknowledge other people's shine, even, if you will, the creator's shine. I hope we've created something new. House is often soulful but you very rarely hear a big gospel-inflected voice paired with booming, doomy techno."
