Artist: Shafunkers
Title: Rhythm By Design EP
Label: Choo Choo Records
By: Simon Jones | 29 November 2002
Tracklist:

• A: Rhythm Design
• B: Open Skies

Shafunkers "Rhythm By Design EP"

Shafunkers hail from Manchester and are producers Alex McCulloch and Austin Moore. Already they have had several releases on Premier Sounds and also produce as D-Track for Fluid Recordings. Since joining the Choo Choo family, they have recently remixed D-Ramirez's 'Bounce Your DJ', before this release, the 'Rhythm By Design EP' has been unleashed upon us.

'Rhythm Design' kicks off with a low cut percussion line, soon descending into tribal territory and becoming more and more fluctuant. As a deep house vocal sinks in the direction of the track is shifted on it's axis into a fuller, funkier direction, bass driven grooves kicking the drums into touch. Funky rhythm carefully designed to kick that tribal vibe into next week

'Open Skies' slips into a more minimal groove, as the old saying goes, sometimes less is more. Smoky sax-esque samples and a odd vox stab trickle over the tech house bassline as things pick up in the centre and a rather acidic vibe becomes very evident. If it were a warning sign it would be 'slippery when wet', as this baby refuses to stay in once place, sliding from groovy house to tech bliss with seamless ease.

As Choo Choo hits it's 30th release, it would appear that they are moving away from the dark house template that has kept them going for several months into a much more innovative and varied direction, and this no doubt will be what gives them the determination to grow futher in 2003. We shall have to wait and see if it pays off.