Shadow Child

Whether it be his own material or remixes of songs by the likes of Aluna George, Lianne LaHavas or London Grammar, Shadow Child knows how to construct a sick tune. For a man who has gone by many names - including Dave Spoon and Avec in days gone past - it is not surprising that Shadow Child can turn his hand to pretty much anything and create gold. The alias Shadow Child came to be in 2012, but the man behind the music, Simon Neale, has been doing his thing since 2004, and he’s been doing it with aplomb. Shadow Child’s music is hypnotic, yet eccentric. His house music is characterised by it’s bass-led line of gravity, which moves pendulum-like from start to end of every track. Shadow Child’s real genius, though, is that he’s happy to lead you into a false sense of security before taking you somewhere totally unexpected, even if it’s only for a moment. It’s quirky, but more importantly it’s awesome. Seeing this guy live is like watching a master at work. It’s obvious that Shadow Child has spent years perfecting his craft; he’s confidant and laidback as he lets song after song drop with perfect grace, and at just the right time. He reads an audience perfectly, and always knows exactly which groove we want to ride. Seeing Shadow Child live is a no-brainer. With gigs across the UK and worldwide, you’ve got no excuse not to go.

Miguel Campbell is one of the biggest names in dance music, creating some seriously juicy deep house tracks, being a figure in the scene since the 90s, bursting out from Leeds, England, gaining a worldwide reputation. His set on the Beatport Stage at Movement Festival, Detroit, was full of some seriously funky numbers that were heavy on the groove, offering particularly summery vibes on a bright summer's day. A big crowd turned out for his set, showing enthusiastic appreciation for Campbell's eclectic mix of tracks, sitting on people's shoulders, pumping fists into the air. It was just real fun dance music. His set seemed to travel across the vast expanse of the house genre and across soul, funk and R & B, ebbing and flowing with the vibes in the crowd, with Campbell as our guide through this musical journey. Highlight track was Campbell's reworking of Denis Yashin's "Wasting Your Time," with its synth delay and eerie, haunting vocals that reminds somewhat of Leonard Cohen's vocals in his song "First We Take Manhattan." Miguel Campbell is a truly talented DJ/producer who is pushing forward deep house into new, expansive territories, offering a refreshing an original take on a scene that has been inundated with artists in recent years.