The Elephant x Red Astaire

Fredrik Lager. Red Astaire. Freddie Cruger. Whatever name you know the renowned Swedish beat maestro by, his catalogue of dancefloor fillers has made him a firm favourite of DJs and dancers alike.

With fans including the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jazzy Jeff, Norman Jay and Erykah Badu, Freddie’s tunes have rung out from Sweden to the South Pacific, and everywhere in between, for decades.

Seminal cuts like the reggae-laced ‘Running From Love’ (Jugglin’ Records) and anthemic bossa and soul D’Angelo flip ‘Follow Me’ (GAMM) are still a staple in many a DJ’s crate to this day, showing and proving that good music is timeless.

Freddie sadly passed away in June 2022, leaving family, friends and fans to mourn the passing of a man described by many as a tremendous talent and person, in equal measures. But in what’s a fitting tribute to a lost friend, a previously unreleased Red Astaire remix has seen the light of day through The Elephant, an independent record label with roots in Aotearoa and the UK.

Chapter & Verse worked with Vishal ‘DJ Vee’ Vasan to create and pitch a story on how a new vinyl musical release and a sudden passing link a previously defunct Kiwi record label, a famed Swedish producer and Wellington’s influential music scene of the 2000s.

This is a story of friendship, and an unlikely-but-perfect musical connection between Sweden and New Zealand. It's a wonderful memorial tribute, beautifully written by Karl Puschmann for the Weekend Herald’s Weekend magazine (published 25 August 2023).

Read ‘DJ Vishal Vasan produces vinyl record in homage to Swedish star Freddie Cruger’ here.

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