The Shapeshifters returns to Glitterbox alongside New York outfit 79.5 for a beautifully polished slice of contemporary disco and soul.
Simon Marlin has become such a natural part of the Glitterbox world that it’s perhaps surprising just how long it’s been since we last had new Shapeshifters material on the label.
That changes with “On The Way Up”, a record that not only marks his return to Glitterbox Recordings but offers the first glimpse into a new Shapeshifters album project.
For the occasion, Marlin has linked up with New York-based band 79.5, whose blend of underground disco, funk and modern soul proves an almost tailor-made match.
And “On The Way Up” sounds exactly as you’d hope that combination might.
There’s an effortless warmth running through the production, with 79.5’s lush vocal harmonies sitting beautifully amongst rich instrumentation and a groove that draws heavily from classic disco without ever feeling like an exercise in nostalgia.
That’s always been one of Marlin’s great strengths.
From “Lola’s Theme” through to his more recent Glitterbox material and 2022 album “Let Loose”, The Shapeshifters sound has consistently understood the difference between borrowing from disco’s past and simply trying to recreate it.
“On The Way Up” continues that approach.
It’s soulful and impeccably produced, but there’s enough weight underneath everything to make sure this remains very much a dancefloor record. The arrangement gradually opens up rather than throwing everything at you immediately, allowing those harmonies and musical flourishes to do much of the work.
There’s also something distinctly New York about the record, an influence that makes sense given Marlin has been working between his new Earthworks studio and Manhattan’s Renaissance studio in the Film Center Building.
Ultimately, though, it still sounds unmistakably like The Shapeshifters.
Warm, uplifting and dripping in soul, “On The Way Up” feels less like a comeback and more like the beginning of the next chapter.
If this is our first indication of where the forthcoming album is heading, we’re very interested to hear what comes next.
Artist: The Shapeshifters
Title: On The Way Up
Label: Glitterbox Recordings
Catalogue: GLITS146D4
Release Date: 21st August 2026
Format: Digital