Lance Ferguson’s disco-funk cover of ‘Could Heaven Ever Be Like This’
New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based producer, songwriter, guitarist, DJ and recording artist Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos / Machines Always Win / Menagerie), returns to Tru Thoughts with his latest single “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This”, a vibrant reimagining of Idris Muhammad’s seminal 1977 jazz-funk cut, the first single that teases the upcoming third volume of his famed Rare Groove Spectrum series.
On this new single, Lance strips back and reconstructs Muhammad’s euphoric groove from the ground up, he explains, “There have been a few cover versions of Idris Muhammad’s jazz-funk perennial over the years, but it’s such an incredible song that I couldn’t resist adding it to the Rare Groove Spectrum list. We have given it a propulsive Four-on-the-floor’ feel with extra percussion elements, and Saxophonist Phil Noy pulls out a really killer Alto solo”. Previously covered by artists Jamie XX and Incognito, Lance’s version brings a fresh energy while honouring the original.
Across his Rare Groove Spectrum series, released via Freestyle, he delves into a deep crate of Soul, Jazz, Latin and Funk obscurities, re-recording them with a live band to breathe new life into under-appreciated classics. Previous Rare Groove Spectrum volumes have received strong support from tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, Jazz FM, Bandcamp and Craig Charles. Throughout his career Lance has produced 45 full-length albums and more than 100 singles and remixes for an array of respected labels, including Atlantic, Universal, Warner, BMG, Sony, Tru Thoughts (UK), Ubiquity (USA), Inertia (Australia), Freestyle (UK) and his own imprint Pacific Theatre. His work has earned him Seven ARIA Award nominations and Five APRA Music Award nominations, cementing his influence.
His songwriting and production work achieved global chart domination in 2016 with the hit “This Girl” by Kungs vs Cookin’ On 3 Burners, co-written and originally produced by Lance. The track reached Top 5 in 29 countries, hit #1 in 10 territories, and achieved Diamond, Multi-Platinum, Platinum and Gold certifications across the US, UK, France, Germany and beyond. It currently boasts over 1.27 Billion Spotify streams and 545 million YouTube views.
“Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” is a testament to Lance’s skill as both curator and arranger, paying homage to an era while crafting something entirely his own.
“Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” out Digitally on July 29th 2025 via TruThoughts
