shadow city welcomes tech support for it’s 7th release.

* there is a way* opens with a soiree of shuffling percussion, which drives it forward throughout. the tune holds its nerve and refuses to cash in, constantly bubbling and building as layer upon layer unfolds almost to breaking point. an exhilarating statement of intent. never looking back. side a comes to a close with * tricks*. it confidently boasts a heavy hitting kick drum, set to shake speakers and alter heartbeats. a relentlessly positive guitar sample and buoyant bassline set the mood of a lively cut, which builds to a pay-off that brims with shimmering brass and crisp hats. a sunshine filled stormer, sure to get even the most cynical city worker moving. drums, drums, drums. as * mistakes* begins we’re swept away by salary boy’s effortless command of groove, before a booming bassline snatches back at our attention. “everyone makes mistakes” is the refrain from the vocal sample. i’d usually agree but our hard hustling, hi-hat wielding hero hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. an evocative piano loop anchors ‘cry’, a tune made to define the early hours. equally adept at touching the heart, as it is at moving the feet. endings are important, and this is as strong as they come.

taking the reins for shdw004 is jeigo. having interned at phonica, rye wax and now worldwide fm, jeigo’s wide palette and deep crates are evident on this classy four track e.p which features a tasty remix from big miz on the flip.

the shadow city crew are at it again. release number 3, from the birmingham based collective’s vinyl only imprint, shows that previous accomplished outings were no flash in the pan. harry parsons returns with three quality cuts designed to get you up and keep you moving.

shdw002 arrives with a pumping kick and a gorgeous guitar loop. as the filter opens, the landscape widens – laidback percussion, then soothing strings, before a powerful hit of bass and vocals, and we’re off. two tail’s ‘willie has a hunch’, grooves along blissfully, before a spoken word sample comes to twist the meaning and flip the mood. ‘you’ve got me’, is an appropriate title for a harry parsons track where a percussive groove, staccato horns, and those handclaps grip the listener and never relinquish control the result being a thoroughly enjoyable 6 minutes of communal dancefloor goodness.
tribal percussion ushers in side b, as alex wooley begins to build ‘walkin’ away’ around a yearning and disheartened vocal sample. despite the free-flowing instrumentation, the vocals maintain a subtle air of melancholy, which anchor this track in raw, remorseful emotion. mr lover lover concludes proceedings with a confident swagger. ‘i would (like to get to know)’ flips brandy’s ‘i wanna be down’ into an enticing dancefloor shaker - the perfect closer.

conceived on a dark winters night, ‘we can only’ tells a sombre story of lust and heartache. the heavy kick and bassline beckon, leading to hypnotic guitars and sultry strings. euphoria ensues, questions are left unanswered, until a sweet female responds.
harry s second production, ‘love flow’, came together in a summer of romance. blissful horns and a sensual vocal carry us into a breakdown fit for a bahamian honeymoon. this one is for bringing people together and sharing love.
an edit from the shadow city boys flips harry’s ‘love flow’ on its head. the ‘only lover’s edit’ is a hazy excursion reminiscent of times gone by. plodding along like a 6am slog home. this solemn end brings us full circle, a record that meanders mesmerisingly from one mood to the next… the first of many.