It takes a special kind of someone to remix a Mahalia track – especially one as much of a global hit as her latest, Do Not Disturb. But, Leven Kali is far from an average artist. Both in fact are quietly the most exciting and engaging newcomers to the young collective of R&B futurists, so naturally, the remix comes together flawlessly. Kali weaves in and out of Mahalia’s original verses and hook for something that is both creatively and meaningfully deeper and altogether different than Mahalia’s original cut. Kali’s effortlessness coheres so seamlessly to Mahalia’s high energy and emotional spectrum that in every way, it’s even better than the original.

 

And that’s the key with any remix – not only adding elements, but altogether changing the remix into something that the original was not, while at the same time respecting and building upon its foundation. Kali is obviously no newcomer to remixing the hottest R&B tracks of the moment, but this is just further proof that his explosive talent is still largely unearthed, and that with the release of a proper debut album, he may come to take a seat at the table of R&B royaloty alongside artists like Mahalia, Daniel Caesar, and SiR.