Zapp Mallet, the pioneering Ghanaian music genius famed for producing a gamut of class pieces over decades, has issued a surprise album today, March 27.

Christened “Ayalolo,” the 7-track set consists the records Aayalolo, Accra Life, Asante Swing, Do As I Say, Keta School Boys, Ebaahi and Sorry. All songs were self-produced.

In a Facebook post announcing the project, Mallet (born Emmanuel Mallet) describes the album –a string-led CD that fuses archetypal highlife, jazz, pop, funk, and hiplife –as one “for the serious-minded.” In the post, he also admits that the project is “long overdue.”

Mallet is alumnus of the Accra Academy and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. An illustrious career has seen him on the receiving end of multiple high-profile awards in music production and sound engineering. He has worked with Ghana’a best musicians, including Kojo Antwi, Reggie Rockstone,Tagoe Sisters, Lord Kenya, Ofori Amponsah and Daasebre Gyamena. He has also worked with Obour, Suzzy & Matt, Becca, Irene Logan and Nana Quame. Others are Nana & Dan, Helena Rhabbles Praye, Akyeame, Nana Fynn and Wutah.

Get the album here.