Kevin McKay and David Penn raise the roof with “Hallelujah”

With over 25 years of music under his belt, dance music veteran and Glasgow Underground owner Kevin McKay is set to embark on his next project—an innovative concept album that will take a selection of classic tracks, reimagine and modernize them for today's dancefloors without using a single sample. The first single from the album sees him teaming up with house artist David Penn on gospel-house cut, "Hallelujah".

A cover of Randy Crawford’s 1977 track of the same name, "Hallelujah" consists of feel-good sonic textures only 90s house music could conjure—an exposition of funky flair and soulful soliloquies. Filling your ears with belting vocals, McKay and Penn twist melodic keys tight around a grooving bass line that all but falters, fuelling the track with substantive passion in the build ups and breakdowns.

"From the moment I first heard the Slam boys play the Frankie Knuckles mix of Sounds of Blackness "The Pressure" in Glasgow's Sub Club, the marriage of gospel and house music seemed perfect to me," McKay shares, in speaking about the track. "Ever since then I've been a sucker for tracks in that style, be it cuts from the 90s like Voices of 6th Avenue "Call Him Up" or ones from today like Sophie Lloyd's "Calling Out" or Floorplan's "Tell You No Lie". Another producer who has recently delivered on the gospel house front is David Penn. I'm a huge fan of his records and since his killer remix of "The Oooh Song" we've been discussing a collaboration. Given our shared interest, gospel seemed like our perfect meeting point."

Glasgow Underground’s journey began in 1997; the label’s compilations, singles and DIY approach snowballed into global success and is favourited by some of the biggest names in the business. Through all things house and deep house, the label has made its mark across the world of dance music with McKay at the helm. Now putting his energy into forward-thinking, contemporary productions, Glasgow Underground aims to infuse a new lease of life into classic samples and songs, making them accessible for modern genres, sets and parties.

Stream "Hallelujah" here.