Kygo mixes previously (almost) unreleased Whitney Houston track
It is hard not to raise an eyebrow when scrolling through Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist and seeing it includes a new release by Whitney Houston who passed away over seven years ago. Norwegian hit producer Kygo took her 1991 recording of the song ‘Higher Love’ and made it into a track that suits the sound of 2019. Does this updated version of a cover of the Steve Winwood track do justice to her legacy?

‘Higher Love’ was first performed by Houston during a concert in 1990 and then recorded for her third album I’m Your Baby Tonight. In the end it only made it as a bonus track on the Japanese version of the record. Kygo was approached by the Houston estate to work his magic on the recording as Whitney’s version was too good to remain largely undiscovered. ‘Higher Love’ now sounds like a current hit with some soul and disco influences. He luckily did not mess with her vocals for most of the track, as she recorded this during her prime years and she sounds glorious. The sampling and repeating he does to her vocals in the post-chorus is typical Kygo and simply irresistibly catchy. He subtly mixes the 90s elements with his contemporary electronic sounds and the result is like the song was always intended this way. We get the best of Whitney’s vocals with a production as if she was one of the biggest pop stars of this very moment! A respectful mix that celebrates Whitney Houston and her legendary vocals.