Written by Chris Familton

Before Shapeshifter, fellow Kiwis Electric Wire Hustle Soundsystem did their best to win over the audience with their electro soul tracks. You sense their full band show would engage more as they struggled to gain and maintain the attention of the growing crowd with their soulful house and electronic grooves. DJs Jonny Faith and Monkfly warmed the crowd between acts with a mix of dub, electronic and hip hop styles, sufficiently warming up the sub woofers in preparation for the main performance.

Kicking off with the epic Dutchies from the new album The System is a Vampire Shapeshifter embraced the room with a soulful and teasing intro before the anthemic, swelling electronics lifted the music into space and the crowed erupted in unison with arms aloft. Frontman PDiggsss imploring the writhing masses to “Hold on to the vibe, welcome to the ride”.

From that point on they had the fans in the palm of their hand and spent the rest of the evening showcasing the new album, dipping into their back catalog and taking them from ecstatic rave buildups to bouncy squelching boogie, from chilled acid jazz breaks to monstrous rock and rumbling drum & bass workouts. The experience of years of touring and recording has developed Shapeshifter into an exceptionally sharp and tight band. They know how to pace a show, inject some humour and slay your ears and feet just as you are getting comfortable.

With Tiki Taane controlling the sound desk there was some serious rattling of fillings with the sub bass detonations that meant this was a night that was as listenable as it was danceable. Shapeshifter know how to seduce you physically and intellectually and the Metro witnessed their devastating mastery of a particular strain of electronica built on soul, energy and sonic exploration.

This review first appeared in The Brag