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The Shapeshifters In the House |
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Title: The Shapeshifters In the House
Mixed By: The Shapeshifters
Label: Defected Records
Genre: Funky Soulful House
Price: £9.98
Buy Online: Click Here
Release Date: 25th August 2008
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Details: Defected Records’ premier compilation series is now in its 26th edition with close to a million sales. This new release gets the inimitable mix treatment by two of the UK’s principal producers; an outfit that effortlessly bridges the gap between popular culture and the underground. This is the Shapeshifters In the House.
The Shapeshifters are the London based duo Simon Marlin and Max Reich, two artists that know a thing or two about rocking the dancefloor. As globetrotting DJs, studio craftsmen, musical connoisseurs and all-round party people, they are at the top of their game as their next contribution to the ‘In the House’ series superbly illustrates.
Ever since ‘Lola's Theme’ gripped the UK charts in 2004 in a proverbial headlock, the guys have been at the forefront of the international House scene. Do not underestimate that initial release; as well as its UK No.1 spot it also topped the dance charts in America and Europe and got licensed to over 150 compilations worldwide. It really was a behemoth of a record.
Celebrations are in order as they recently became Defected Records’ newest artists and have been awarded the task of mixing the next in series of the respected ‘In the House’ blueprint, on which they deliver their own unique twist.
“I believe the compilation sets out our stall as to where the Shapeshifters are at right now, musically and the groove we are on” Simon Marlin.
Over the course of the first two CDs they take us on a ride through deep and sensual house before stepping things up a gear and closing with a glorious finale of peak time club music.
The opening CD is an intriguing blend of styles with soulful artists like Grant Nelson and John Julius Knight joining the European nu-breed of electronic producers like Mike Monday and Nic Fanciulli’s Skylark project. We’re talking underground, tech-edged beats and rolling grooves that build into high-octane house for the modern discothčque.
The second wave sees the guys light the blue touch paper with an uplifting array of club music combining 2008 reworkings of their own ‘Lola's Theme 08’, as well as classics like ‘Hideaway’, ‘Bad Habit’ and ‘I’ll House You’ with the freshest new House cuts from the likes of Dirty South, Axwell & Bob Sinclar , Fedde Le Grand & Funkerman. It’s all been sliced and diced to perfection with several of their own productions, edits and accapellas thrown in for good measure. Those long, hard months in the studio have clearly born fruit.
It’s not just about the here and now, of course, and on the third ‘Inspirations’ CD The Shapeshifters indulge us with a selection of music that have influenced and inspired.
“When we were asked to compile the ‘Inspirations’ CD,” explains Simon, “we initially thought it would be an easy process and it should have been really, but once we opened up the Pandora’s Box of thirty years of musical bliss, it proved a lot harder than you might think”. Many of their choices were declined by various music industry head quarters.
“Where do you start? Well, we thought that would be easy with Johnnie Taylor’s ‘What About My Love’ (as used on ‘Lola’s Theme’ if you didn’t know) but alas no, those big record company moguls in America thought better of it and a pattern began to develop. Prince, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Doobie Brothers, Massive Attack, Fleetwood Mac and Steely Dan, all big influences in our lives among many others, were not open for business for various bureaucratic reasons, none of which are actually about music or the artists involved.”
None of this deterred the guys, of course, and the results are no less satisfying just because they had to leave out a few of their musical heroes. Al Green, Hall & Oates and Tears For Fears are just a few of the artists included and they still come up trumps with songs to savour that reach deep into dance music’s rich heritage.
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8 / 10 – Gold Award |
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