That most mythic of 21st Century heroes: The producer. From Dre to The Neptunes to Danger Mouse, they are the much vaunted kingmakers of the current music scene, more often than not these days emerging from their behind the scenes role once their sound is honed and cult status has provided sufficient momentum. But what do they do, exactly? It’s hard to quantify, as from what I gather (which is pretty limited) what any of them might do varies from producer to producer, and sometimes from music genre to genre. In general it is they who can take a singer or a band from a song and a microphone to a recordable song with a distinctive sound. They often write songs and create new sounds, or once established scout for and support new musical talent as it emerges into the scene.
So then to Shux, having met him through a friend, I first heard his music and at low key live gig where he played with a singer he is working with. Bridgette is the singer who is currently fronting Oi Va Voi (KT Tunstall was a previous incumbent, although their styles are very different). I have seen Bridgette perform with the Voi, and was well impressed by the range of her voice, from powerful to fragile, and how she brought a bluesy, soulful resonance to Oi Va Voi’s modern jazz folk sound. She also has some presence as a performer, holding a packed Scala rapt throughout the Voi’s gig. So at this low key outing with Shux, she was performing her own songs, that they have been working on together. These were different from the Voi’s output – deceptively simple at first listen, but actually each song subtly references a host of influences from nursery rhymes to classic jazz, and have lyrics and musical structures which reflect each other, so that each listen becomes more pleasing than the last.
Once again, Bridgette impressed as a singer and performer – singing with little production of effects in front of a small room of people is arguably more daunting than up on a big stage with plenty of flashing lights. Next to her, her young producer accompanied on guitar. He didn’t say much, content to let her take the limelight, and I suspect that is the way he likes it.
He began as a key member of hip hop collective One, and worked on their debut EP ‘Onederful World’ released on their own label in 2002. Since then he went on to work with fellow One member Sway Dasafo: Shux produced five of the tracks on MOBO winning Sway’s debut album ‘This is My Demo’. Single ‘Little Derek’ like his work with Bridgette, is deceptively simple – evoking the sun soaked beats of Warren G, but on a closer listen, also reference Krs1's ‘Sound of Da Police’ and, actually those harmonies really sound like they are being played on some kind of electronic harpsichord. It is easy to listen to, but gets wittier the more attention you give it.
We met properly when I photographed him, and he was sweetly shy – unaware of or maybe uninterested by how much the camera lens loves him. Although he knew he needs pictures, that building a profile of his own is not just inevitable, but necessary, I suspect he is most at home writing with some new artist that excites him, or in the studio, behind the mixing desk.
Aside from Sway’s second album, oh and the odd remix for Coldcut, Craig David and Jamie Foxx (yes THE Jamie Foxx) there’s a tour with Sway, the work with Bridgette and his own project 'The Spaceship Diaries Vol. 1', an album he is writing and producing with guest appearances from artists including Sway, Pyrelli, Baby Blue, No-Bizzi, Sincere, Elrae. He has recently been concentrating more on song-writing, normally choosing to co-write songs with the singers he works with, and other writers – including his mentor Francis ‘Eg’ White. If UK hip hop / soul is your thing, his influence is only set to grow, and the output of him and his collaborators worth following.
www.shux.co.uk
www.myspace.com/shuxmusic
