Shifted's 'Crossed Paths' is a record which pushes the formal possibilities of techno. 'Crossed Paths' is the first full length work to be released on Mote-Evolver and the scope of the album format takes Shifted's vision to the next level. Shifted furthers his exploration into ominous resonances which he began in 2011 on Mote-Evolver by the 'Control EP', a vinyl that seamlessly housed the unabashed peak-time 'Control' and the spatial 'Structure'. On 'Crossed Paths' the breadth of Shifted's ideas is both subtle and devastating. As a producer Shifted's methodology is like that of a sculptor, he works principally with textures knowing precisely when to leave edges raw and fault lines exposed. 'Crossed Paths' is constructed of 11 ominous cuts carved with precision and poise.

The identity of the man behind the Shifted moniker is shrouded in question marks and his album opens just as mysteriously with the fearlessly oblique 'Yearning'. Setting out an ambitious internal architecture, 'Yearning' expands and contracts creating a sense of euphoric menace. This atmosphere pervades, crystallising in the strange swelling loops on 'Coax' and the stunning pads of 'Colour Of The Fall'. Shifted creates hypnotic and persistent music that's perfect for the confusion of the afterhours. He refuses to stick to polarised ideas of tracks falling neatly into the categories 'dance floor' or 'ambient'. Shifted toys with the norm. 'Bleeding Through' is a case in point: it imperceptibly veers from one territory to another with far-off ringing and torn wooden fragments invading an almost industrial landscape. Equally 'Lexis' is flooded with urgency as sharp, angular corners are created by bleeps which cut into the track's icy exterior.

However, 'Crossed Paths' has no shortage of ideas to devastate big club rigs. 'Leather' is fully loaded techno with a disorienting top line spurting and sparking over grinding bass. On 'Suffocate' the deviant tones persists constructed out of the friction between a swung undercarriage and rock hard beats. 'More Static' pushes deep only to be fractured by clanging metal and sinister wisps of conversation. The record closes with the glacial 'Disconnected', a track that is perfectly in harmony with the album's haunting, greyscale artwork. Having travelled the length and breadth of techno's possibilities the final track brings unity to the release, suspending the listener once again in the abstract dimension where 'Crossed Paths' began.

Shifted envelops the listener in a subtle world of form and variation. 'Crossed Paths' sets out to further techno's remit and situates itself precisely where electronic music deviates from expectations. Shifted skilfully creates an album in which no sound is over-produced, it's a record where textures interact with each other on their own terms and the result is deep, atmospheric and ultimately, something new.


early dj feedback:

DVS1 (Klockworks, Transmat, HUSH): Alot to take in, but definitely liking the quick listen on here...already here at least 4 tracks I need to play right away!! nice one!
Steve Rachmad (Music Man, 100%Pure): some cool usefull stuff on there!
Echologist (Steadfast) (Echologist): loving this upon firs listen. look forward to digging deeper :-)
Terence Fixmer (Electric Deluxe): As i expected, the album is great...! lots of cool track in it i ll play.
John Tejada: a very interesting musical journey. very nice. thanks.
Oliver Ho (Blueprint/Raudive/Meta): great album of textures and sparse rhythms, theres some beautiful stuff on here.
Inverted Audio: Looking forward to giving this a thorough listen. Shifted has certainly managed to get the attention of technophiles like myself...
Taimur (Halcyon): great album
Âme: dankeschoen
Speedy J (Electric Deluxe): Thanks, will test.
Alex Kid: Love all these atmospheres. Leather is a trip, and Suffocate is proper Techno! thx :)
Expander (Sonic Culture): Very great album!
Danny Tenaglia: thanks!!!
DJ Nori (Posivision): mystic work, T7 is superb!!

Press:

Eric Cloutier (Resident Advisor): pretty much the best thing i've heard in a long, long time.
Ruaridh Law (Fact Magazine): incredible. review to follow.
techbeats.co.uk: will review
BBC Music: I really like Shifted's other stuff so will listen with a mind to possible review.
David Marcia (Clash Magazine): Really good stuff.
Mark EG (Tilllate Magazine/Core Magazine): Amazing work!
Mark S. Krüx (Urb Magazine): Wow...will be playing a few of these for sure.
Electronique.it: after a series of excellent ep, here it comes an awesome album
Xavier Morel (Posivision): gr8 industrial and deep teckno!!!!
Hipodrome (Romania): Great album from Shifted. At fist listening, I really like the transission in it. Have to give it a deeper listen. Thanks for this!
Kultblog (Hungary): will be featured on kultblog.hu

Soundhead (Hungary): Nice album!
Antoine Caesar (Indeks Music) (Ukraine): solid stuff as usual ! full support
Roko (Sub.fm/B.O.M.B.): Can't WAIT to hear this in full!! But from quick browse through my comment would be: OH... MY... DAYS!!!
Manchester Global Radio: Great album. Deep, Dubby, verby,atmospheric Techno. Loving Leather, Colour Of The Fall has some cool sounds, Suffocate , Lexis - support!
Tobias Quinten (FAZE Magazin): nice
smilecoldanatomy Blog: Great stuff, definitely one of the best techno albums of the year so far. "Coax" might be my favorite, sad that won't be on the vinyl!
vivamusicstudios.com: This is unreal...a good statement from a consistently brilliant artist
Benoît Carretier (Tsugi): deeep and weird
Angel Santos (DJ Mag Spain): Great Work! Thanks.
Jean- Louis Santoro (Ibiza Voice): 2 be reviewed
Raul (Clubbing Spain): Great release!! Soon in Clubbingspain.com!!

DJ Mag (DJ Mag Germany/DJ Mag Charts): deep tech monster sphere
Patrick Selzer (Raveline): Bedrohlich, dunkel, stark. Sehr clever produziertes Album. Straight Techno.
Christian Kausch (Partysan/Broque): Sehr schöne Zusammenstellung. Wird gehört.