Shall Not Fade レコード& CD

Review: French finesse with German fusion... Willis Anne makes his Shall Not Fade debut with this killer 'Movement' EP. As with previous missives on his LAN imprint, the beats roam and romp freely between footwork, jungle and ghetto-tek with strong twangs of Detroit bringing it all together. Highlights include the wonderful layers of organs and vibrant chords of 'Direct Effect' and the fully-swung breakbeats and bellowing sub of 'Unison'. Get moving.

Review: Shall Not Fade has proven over the last five plus years that whatever sounds it turns its hand to it does with style. Mostly that is deep house and garage but here we have some warehouse-ready techno from Dasco. 'Powerful Woman' has mid-tempo drums that are run through with a supple and subtle acid line and repeated vocal phrasings that lock you into the trip. 'Acid Queen' jacks a bit more, with raw analogue drums and vintage cow bell sounds before the 303 takes over, then Johannes Volk really bangs the box with his hardcore house remix, full of splintered kicks and dusty hi hats. Chicago Skyway brings plenty of Windy City texture to his version.

Review: A regular to the Shall Not Fade output, Columbian producer Felipe Gordon returns for a collaborative EP with Belgian artist, Krewcial, for a deep dive into their shared sonic world. An ode to their shared love of cycling, this EP traverses many textures and terrains, ascending into moments of brightness and descending into deep atmospheres. The first track, '1972', kicks off with an outer casing of flecked percussion, before the introduction of a driving, hill-climbing bass line. Track number two, 'Dying', features rousing choir vocals, bringing a gospel-sensibility to the firmly funk-tied bass line. On the B-side, 'Answer' has a careening melody with hints of nostalgia, side-stepping between satisfyingly clean kick drums and brusque snares. The flip also features a remix by Session Victim - a beautifully floaty reimagining of the more grounded original. A highly multifaceted release and a strong addition to Shall No Fade's already gleaming catalogue.

Review: Kolter has been busy, as always, and has a couple of fine outings dropping at similar times. This one on Bristol's always-wealthy Shall Not Fade is on nice orange vinyl. It opens with the feel-good synth chords of 'DX7 Together' which also has something of an early Chicago house feel to the cowbells, but plenty of future-facing tech vibes too. The pace picks up for the warm and breezy 'Please Come To My Show' (feat Leo Pol) then it's more chord-laced joy that comes to the fore on 'Up In The Sky'. Berlin fav Cynthia makes those chords have a distinctly old-school feel with her remix.

Review: Lake Haze's third album on Shall Not Fade is another triumph with his signature shimmering melodies strung out over lush beats. Drawing on house, disco, garage and broken beat it is a rich affair with a strong UK vibe. There is elegance and symphony to opener 'Xyleac' that immediately gets your head amongst the stars. 'Diluspth' keeps up the majestic synth while 'Bbyncole' is double-speed techno with balmy celestial synths and hurried bass that locks you in. Tender ambient pieces like 'Shores Of Eternal Life' reset the mood and then the second half is a series of shorter sketches packed with electronic soul.

Review: Montreal's Jaymie Silk (not to be confused with the Chicago house originator J.M. Silk) first came to light in 2016 with the Trouble In Paradise LP on Ghost Club Records. He reached a wider audience in Europe in 2021 with The Legend Of Jack Johnson on Shall Not Fade, and now he's back on the UK label with a mighty eight tracks of forward-thinking house which draws deeply on the roots while bringing a distinctive slant. There are 90s tropes scattered throughout this release, but they're wielded with a cavalier attitude which makes even the most familiar sample sound fresh. Crucially, this is club music with a purpose as Silk interweaves his tracks with pointed messages in the speech samples he draws on, winding up with party gear to make you think as well as move.