Don Laka - Stages / I Wanna Be Myself Don Laka

Some tracks do not need fixing. They just need a little more room.

South African composer and keyboard wizard Don Laka has quietly remained a staple in discerning DJ bags for years, especially among selectors drawn to synth music that feels warm, slightly mysterious and impossible to place in time. Somewhere between jazz-funk, township rhythms and studio electronics, though ultimately existing in a space entirely of its own.

Stages was an obvious candidate for extension. Prins Thomas does exactly what he does best here: opening up the arrangement, allowing the synth lines to breathe and stretching the groove until it begins to float just a little higher off the ground. Nothing forced, nothing unnecessary added for the sake of it, simply more of something already exceptional.

I Wanna Be Myself receives a subtle rework from Gerd Janson. The approach was straightforward: preserve the personality of the original while creating a version that slips naturally into a contemporary DJ set without sacrificing any of its charm. It remains the same track, only standing a little taller.

And because the source always matters, the original version of Stages is included as well. A reminder of where the magic began.

Three versions, no drama. Just strong music that already knew exactly what it was doing.