Shook

In today’s digital world where trends like NFTs and AI music consume your daily life, it is time for a musical investigation… Discover the paradox of infinite freedom online and the way it imprisons you in that little black box of emptiness. Shook says: “The virtual world has its own set of rules, a ‘system’ that dictates our feelings and behaviour in different ways. This album is about my personal experience, both celebrating and being critical of technology.” System is a retro futuristic album that is inspired by that iconic sound of the 80s. It seamlessly merges deep machine-like tracks alternated with surprisingly humanised pop songs. With an extended palette of pianos and synthesizers Shook’s work will take you along those vintage funk and synth-pop sounds, while keeping you connected with touchy vocals from both Jasper and his partner Juliet. Shook says: “What I try to do is create a balance between a synthetic almost robotic sound and human emotion.” Shook is inspired by timeless composers like Erik Satie, Ravel and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The album honours the early work of Prince during his New-Wave period and delivers a variety of styles as known from Daft Punk. The first single System is a radio-ready dance track with a fierce lead that delivers a strong dose of powerful energy. Shook says: “Like everyone, I have spent most of 2020 inside, in isolation. It made me wonder how technology was seen as a futuristic utopia back in the 80s. Especially its influence on art and music back then. Today almost everything is possible. It goes beyond imagination. The big question is, what do we do with it as humanity. My album System is a direct result from that thought process.” The full release will be accompanied by a collection of videos that visualise today’s digital challenges. The historically aware listener will notice influences from ground-breaking artists such as Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra and video art pioneer Nam June Paik.