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Way of the Warrior

DJmag checks the launch night of Shogun's famous album.

The cat's out the bag, the album we've been waiting for! The 50th release of one of the most celebrated labels in drum and bass is here, and tonight ravers have traveled the length and breadth of the country to celebrate its arrival, as Shogun show its disciples ‘The Way of the Warrior’.

Pulling into the arch relatively early, a mere half an hour after the doors opened, DJmag is greeted by the longest queue we've ever seen at Cable - an achievement to within itself, we’ve seen some pretty long queues here. As DJmag's bag is being peeked into, we rashly comment to our comrade: “With all those people outside, it can’t be that busy in there yet, no queuing at the bar! Woo!”

Oh how wrong I was. The club is brimming with shuffling skankers getting down to the sounds of Spectrasoul. Wading through we reached the side bar, where out of the corner of my eye we spy K-Tee and some fellow Shogun soldiers proudly absorbing the atmosphere and toasting their landmark night. Moving back into the crowd it begins to howl at the drop of Spectrasoul’s album opener ‘The Gift’. The pair continue their set, encapsulating their distinctive taste, a combination of deliciously dark, deep bass, iced with soulfully sweet emotion.

Walking towards the back, we hear the rumblings of a classic, so into the back bar we go, where DJ SS is midway through his much anticipated jungle set. Pushing through the packed Dojo to the unmistakable bass of Ronnie Size’s ‘Brown Paper Bag’, it's clear that the line-up is working beautifully. The cutting-edge future sound of Shogun beautifully magnificently mirroring the ghosts of jungle past.

Back in room one, Friction is well into his two-hour set. Buzzing from the vibes of his mammoth achievements which the night celebrated, he claps his hands way above his head an hyped the crowd into a frenzy, while SP hoddied up in the corner of the booth discreetly makes his presence known, with his infamously soothing flows.

A friendly face smiling through the crowd, IC3 stood close to the speakers with Profile is seen chatting away and bubbling to Rockwell’s innovative sounding set. These guys are not playing tonight, but appear just two examples of thee many DJs and MCs who showed up tonight to show love, support and celebrate what Shogun is all about, and the landmark they have reached with their last 50 releases. Tonight truly is a party not to be missed, not only by punters but industry alike.

The Way of The Warrior has been revealed, the mark has been set. Only time will tell what’s next in line for this amazing army we call Shogun.

Words: Nicola Elliot