Formed in 2004 by Friction & K-Tee (real names Ed Keeley & Keir Tyrer) and firmly established as one of the finest leading labels in both drum & bass and wider electronic music for years now, Shogun Audio are at the very pinnacle of club and festival-primed drum & bass. Alongside label affiliates Elevate Records and SGN:LTD, the critically acclaimed group of imprints have provided a platform for new and established artists alike, retaining an exceptional homegrown current roster that includes Pola & Bryson, Document One, GLXY, Monrroe, Koherent, Sustance and GEST (formerly Gerra & Stone). With one of the widest back catalogues and discographies in the business that includes full length projects, EP’s and singles from the likes of Break, Alix Perez, DJ Marky, Spectrasoul, Technimatic, Icicle, Joe Ford, Fourward, Ed:it, Ulterior Motive, My Nu Leng, Rockwell and many more, Shogun’s commitment to each and every strand of drum & bass magic they’ve released to the masses is unparalleled. With plenty on the horizon, countless live appearances and new, sought-after ventures like their exclusive, vinyl-only ‘Skuriken’ series, it looks like Shogun Audio are just getting started, with more to come on every level.
Review: The first fruit to be plucked from their highly anticipated debut album Expansion, Austrian four-piece Fourward fine-tune their crafty balance of tech grit and digital funk with "Sequencer". Turbo charged with harmonically-honed layered basses, polished with just the right amount of vocal element; the elements come together with a pacey sense of white-knuckle funk that adds serious hype to the imminent album arrival.
Review: Talk about best man for the job. Charlie Break, while not Bristol by birth, represents the exciting sound and energy that still emanates from one of the UK's most exciting cities. Loose, rattling, rolling with a latent funk and jazziness - Break has consistently delivered the vibes Technimatic were celebrating with the original tune. Naturally he's done them proud with a switch in the lower end hook and a rugged set of drums. Precision reversion.
Review: "Kovacs" is Scavoks in reverse. Scavoks in Welsh means 'absolute banger mate'. Coincidence? No, just something we've just made up because when the music's this good it hypes up itself. Teased ahead of his four track "Junction" EP, "Kovacs" is a grainy, heads-down stepper with a springy sense of momentum to the drums and a gurgling bass that's up there with DLR or Skeppy in its lean-but-direct energy and funk. An understated and uncompromised way to introduce his biggest EP on the label to date; ED:IT's on a ninja mission right here.
Review: Document One and Joe Ford aren't the most obvious partnership but they're clearly one that kicks arse in all directions. Both parties bring their finest skills to the table with something for everyone: strong musicianship, scalp-singeing bass, a soaring vocal and a beautiful jazzy drop that swallows you whole and spits you out alive on the second drop. Take care with this one.
Review: It's been a while since Ed Warrener blessed us with newness but all this is expected to change over the coming months with a new slew of Shogun sounds. And it starts right here with "Brink". Featuring the confident vocal prowess of Lady Soul, Ed.it gets his head down and drives out a restrained-but-barbed groove that sizzles and grunts in all the right places. Welcome back Ed.it.
Review: Following the massiveness of his collabo with Roni Size, Rockwell teases us with another subversion excursion from his forthcoming "User" EP. This time tagging in with one of grime's most iconic and crystal clear voices Flowdan, "Inventor" is a bashment stamper with militant drums and serious sermons from the Roll Deep professor. The results speak for themselves. Bring on the full EP.
Review: Roni Size and Rockwell? Yes please! Two dons of their own respective games, both with very distinctive sounds; this really is a magic moment for Shogun Audio. It's one of those rare collaborations where you can hear both artists clearly with full complements to each other; Roni's off-beat bass funk, Rockwell's anarchy, both of their sense of pace and momentum. Slappy, steppy and shocky, this is a perfect example of how good collaborations can be.
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