Not to be confused with the makers of ‘Lola’s Theme’, Shape Shifter are a six-piece based in Christchurch, making music that’s rather faster than house. ‘Soulstice’ is a clever title, as it gives an indication of their style, which often takes a slow, soulful start to a song before pepping it up with full-on drum and bass rhythms. When released in New Zealand a while back it made platinum status in three weeks, helped no doubt by the excellent vocal tracks. It’s a double album and an energetic one at that, with the ambient backdrop of ‘New Day Come’ giving way to crisp beats. This is a kind of blueprint for the rest of the album, though it would be lazy to say that’s the formula for every song – elements of reggae, funk and soul often compete together for your attention. One to try if you like London Elektricity, perhaps.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
