Reggae Disco Rockers reimagine Frankie Knuckles' 'The Whistle Song' as a sundown soother

The late, great, Frankie Knuckles' 1991 earworm classic 'The Whistle Song' has been lovingly re-interpreted as a sunset appropriate Balearic/reggae crossover by Japanese outfit, Reggae Disco Rockers.

The original version was written by Eric Kupper, who – as the legend goes – passed a cassette tape demo of the then untitled track to house music pioneer, Frankie Knuckles. Knuckles then transferred the track to a reel-to-reel and began playing it in his sets at legendary club, Sound Factory. Before long – and thanks to the distinctive topline of the music – dancers would approach Knuckles to ask him “what's that track, the whistle song?” Eric Kupper, Frankie Knuckles, and co-producer John Poppo then set to work refining the demo, which would go on to see the light of day as 'The Whistle Song'.

Reggae Disco Rockers have been active since 2001, recording five albums and countless singles via Tokyo's Flower Records. As one may garner from their name, their music is typified by the inclusion of various shades of reggae musicality, but the adventurous band also fuse into their work elements of nu-jazz, broken beat, soul and Balearica, among other forms. Their striking rework of 'The Whistle Song' makes full use of the hyper-infectious lead line, transposing the tempo down to horizontal position while adding lush, ocean-side aesthetics to completely transform the nature of the track. The gorgeous Balearic rework also includes a 'Silent Dream' version, dispensing with the drums to allow the soothing flute, Latin guitar, and ethereal pads room to transport the listener into a state of unfettered bliss. You can check out both versions here.

Reggae Disco Rockers 'The Whistle Song' is out now, you can buy it here