Shapeshifter began in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1999, when four jazz-school students joined forces to make live drum and bass. The founding lineup included Devin Abrams, Redford Grenell, Nick Robinson and Sam Trevethick. Instead of presenting the music as a DJ act, the group recreates electronic material live with instruments. Its early releases included the DNA EP in 2001 and the Styles EP in 2003; its first album, Real Time, also arrived in 2001. Shapeshifter established Truetone Recordings to release its own music, including Riddim Wise LP, which followed in 2004. The members had played together for 12 years, with Christchurch as their original stomping ground. The group also released the single “Long White Cloud” in 2005.
The group relocated to Melbourne in 2002, then released Soulstice in 2006. Shapeshifter’s subsequent albums included The System Is a Vampire in 2009 and Delta in 2013. In 2010, the band signed to Hospital Records, the UK drum-and-bass label. Soulstice features collaborations with Ladi6 and includes the songs “Bring Change,” “Electric Dream” and “One.”
In 2014, Shapeshifter collaborated with fellow New Zealand drum-and-bass group The Upbeats on the EP Shapeshifter vs The Upbeats [SSXUB]. Stars followed in 2016. The group released its seventh studio album, Rituals, in 2021. In 2020, Shapeshifter and The Upbeats also worked with Workforce on the single Uncharted (Workforce Remix).
Shapeshifter released Lightspeed (Flowidus Remix) as a single in 2021, followed by Futures in 2022. In 2025, the group put out Block Party on UKF, then issued Block Party (Unglued Remix) with Unglued on Drum&BassArena. The band’s five-member lineup comprises PDigsss, Sam Trevethick, Dan McGruer, Nick Robinson and Darren Mathiassen.
