– It’s been five years in the making, and today, platinum-selling singer and producer Daniel Baron releases his career-defining new fourth studio album ‘City Of God & The Jungle Below’ – a 25 new track project set in a fictional post-apocalyptic world.
An artist who has never been afraid to experiment ‘City Of God & The Jungle Below’ is some of Baron’s most eclectic work to date. The star is proud to have delivered a cross-genre firework display of many different sounds (including elements of rock, R&B, acoustic, pop, classical, industrial, dance, hip-hop/trap), proving his versatility and uniqueness as both a musician and producer.
“This is the album that I believe is the greatest body of work that I have created and possibly the greatest that I will ever create,” Daniel says. The songs on the new record tell a story both personal and universal, whilst showcasing some of the singer’s best vocal performances yet. “I believe that all people share a similar story of journeying through this beautiful, scary, crazy jungle of life, eventually learning that it’s not all about us. We have to transcend our own egos and then give of ourselves to one another, to ultimately reach the City of God.”
Baron’s experimental production sets the scene for an expansive and boldly unique sonic experience, from maximalist orchestral driven rock to intricate and futuristic electronic soundscapes. The record is a concept album of biblical proportions that takes a cinematic journey through life’s different phases and states of being. PAIN, PSYCHOSIS, FAITH, LOVE and HOPE are the thematic interludes that join the different song chapters to culminate in the finale of TRANSCENDENCE — a megacosm of the journey that humanity must embark on.
The singer explains “I truly pushed myself physically, mentally and spiritually whilst creating this album. It’s been gruelling, but it’s also been therapy for me. I hope that it will take people on a journey to find some kind of enlightenment.”
He explains that “This album should be listened to in order from track 1 to 25 as it tells a story from beginning to end. Our world is in turmoil and I believe that this album alludes to how we need to go back to the simplicity of the beginning, where faith, hope and love are key components. This is why the first song is called ‘Revelation’ and the last song is called ‘Genesis’ – It takes us out of the apocalypse back to the pure beginning.”
The album features previously-released singles ‘Cannibal’, ‘Twisted’, ‘All I See’ and the brand-new single ‘How To Feel’ – a song about not being afraid to live. To accompany the single, Daniel has released a large-scale, post-apocalyptic themed music video for the inspirational anthem ‘How To Feel’, which he believes perfectly sums up both the track and the theme surrounding the album. Directed by Ruan Kotze, the high-budget, blockbuster-style video features cinematic action-packed moments, plot twists and intense emotional scenes, in what is one of Daniel’s best music video to date.
From stadium anthems to dance floor chart-toppers, Daniel Baron has proven himself to be South Africa’s own bonafide multi-genre award-winning hitmaker. Over a decade in the music industry has yielded him 12 number one hits, three critically acclaimed albums and a long string of chart hits written and produced for numerous local acts.
To celebrate the launch of the album, Daniel will also be performing a live show with his band on 11 December at Railways Café in Centurion.
‘City Of God & The Jungle Below’ is available to stream on all major digital music platforms here: https://smarturl.it/DBCityOfGod
