Mastering was completed by Kevin Reeves at Sterling Sound NYC, using the original masters from the Motown Records vault. The masters were played on a modified Studer A820 with Wolke Butterfly heads and converted to digital at 192khz/24bit resolution using the DCS 904 converter and Sterling’s proprietary mastering systems. As always, the most direct signal path was maintained throughout the mastering process.
Marvin Gaye’s 1971 landmark recording, What’s Going On, revolutionized music history. The brilliant concept album featured politically charge anthems tackling themes of urban decay, environmental issues, police brutality, unemployment and poverty. The album not only topped the Billboard R&B charts, it was featured on countless “Best of” lists including Spin magazine, Q magazine, Mojo and NME. The album ranked #6 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” The album received high regards from Billboard, the Chicago Tribune, The Observer, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Slant Magazine, Uncut and Q. Included were the monster hits, “What’s Going On” and “Inner City Blues.”