The Shapeshifters Interview

After a decade together making epic tunes, Shapeshifters will be celebrating with a brand new album. Simon Marlin and his Swedish partner Max Reich have kept it fresh for ten whole years, and are best known for their tracks ‘Lola’s Theme’ and ‘Back To Basics’.

The House duo have also championed remixes for the likes of George Michael, Christina Aguilera, Moby and Natalie Imbruglia to name a mere handful.

We catch up with Simon ahead of the release of their decade marking album ‘Analogue To Digital… And Back Again’ which will be released on 27th May 2013, to reflect upon what the past ten years has brought, and where The Shapeshifters are headed.

You two have been together for a decade now, why do you think your partnership works so well and for so long?
Mutual respect for what each of us do.

Would you say Max being Swedish and you being British is part of why you work so well? Mixing different cultures and influences?
Yes, partly, Max is very laid back which helps and musically we have very different influences, which works well when creating.

Where did you first start out playing? Were there any particular favourite haunts you had back in the day that are still going?
I started in ‘91, but my favourite place was my residency at The End and AKA, which we did for many years.

Are there any tracks you can’t stop playing at the moment? Or any up-and-coming artists we should keep our eye on?
Full intentions remix of Incredible, Something Good, I want you

Dance has kind of taken of the charts right now, especially in the UK & US- did you ever expect this to happen when you first started out?
Dance has been in and out of the European charts for as long as I can remember, but I think the thing none of us expected was the way it has become so big in the US.

How would you say the genre’s reception has morphed over the past 10 years?
At the moment there are two distinct camps: EDM Maximal and Deep Minimal, both will re-merge as House again in about six months and hopefully the stupid bitching about genres will stop, and we will get back to good, well produced music again.

Do you have plans to expand the Shapeshifters’‘brand’ further? You’ve got the record label and the podcast… how’s that all going? And of course your Nocturnal Groove radio show…
Well this album is a big deal for us and sets our stall out for the foreseeable future, and in a way is reinventing what we do, so I think we will
concentrate on that first, we have new plans for Ibiza which is exciting, as well as a live concept so I guess that will keep us busy for a while.

How do you plan on keeping ‘Nocturnal’ interesting?
The only way we know how: signing great records and bringing new talent through as best we can.

What have you guys got planned for the summer season and in Ibiza?
We will be at the new club on the Island, Bomba on Friday nights, which is really exciting and what the Island needed to be honest. Seven seasons at Pacha were great and we will play there again this season, but having a new challenge over there keeps it – and us – fresh.

Where else are you playing in the coming months?
Worldwide really – from the UK to India, to Balkans and Ibiza.

Where are you most looking forward to playing?
Bomba looks like it’s gonna be a real DJs’ room, so there, really, but always love Croatia and India.

We’re really excited about Bomba too! Which country haven’t you played that you would like to?
Argentina and Mexico…

Do you have plans to go back and play Australia anytime soon?
Not sure yet, perhaps end of the year. We didn’t go this time for the first time in five years cause we had to concentrate on the album, but we definitely missed it, have you seen the weather over here!?

Yes it’s been disgusting. So would you say there’s a difference between UK and Aus crowds?
Yes, you’re more tanned and you wear less clothes!

Haha! I guess so. What’s been a really memorable moment in your decade-long journey together as Shapeshifters?
Playing to 100,00 people in Hyde Park is up there, and, of course, having some quite good records to play over the years.

By Esther Anyakwo

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